Taking the term having your meat 'blue' a little too literally

An urgent health warning has been issued in the US state of California after pigs with 'neon blue' flesh were discovered.

Images of neon blue pigs have been going viral online after a pest controller raised the alarm on the wild animals with images subsequently resurfacing of other examples posted to Imgur by user GlendilTek.

The photos showed a deep, almost alien-like, blue tint to the flesh of the pigs once their skin had been cut open.

Dan Burton, who owns a wildlife control company, was left confused after discovering a pig with blue flesh.

Burton told the Los Angeles Times: "I’m not talking about a little blue, I’m talking about neon blue, blueberry blue."

Despite informing local authorities, it turns out that the phenomenon was already known to some in the area.

In the wake of this, images resurfaced that were posted to Imgur in 2015.

The user wrote on the platform: "So, my in-laws live on a ranch in Morgan Hill, CA and they shot a wild pig on it. They thought it a normal pig until they cut it open.

"Just to clarify since there has been questions they did not start cutting open the pig until they had strapped it to the ATV and driven back home so most of the blood has left the pigs body at this point.

"When they cut into the pig they found that the fat on the pig was a fluorescent blue."

Why are pigs turning blue?

It is believed that the wilds pigs have been turning blue due to exposure to pesticide bait containing the anticoagulant rodenticide diphacinone, as per the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's (CDFW), Wildlife Health Lab (WHL) and the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory.

A common chemical, rodenticide is used to control the population of rats, mice and squirrels and is dyed blue so that the poison stands out.

It is believed that the pigs have eaten this pesticide, dying much of their fat and flesh deep blue.

What do experts say?

Experts have warned against eating any pigs with blue flesh (surprise, surprise).

The blue dye indicated traces of the pesticide which is of course poisonous to humans and cannot be cooked out with heat.

In a press release from last month, CDFW Pesticide Investigations Coordinator Dr. Ryan Bourbour said: "Hunters should be aware that the meat of game animals, such as wild pig, deer, bear and geese, might be contaminated if that game animal has been exposed to rodenticides.

"Rodenticide exposure can be a concern for non-target wildlife in areas where applications occur in close proximity to wildlife habitat."