Russia has lifted a ban on pork imports from five American states that had been imposed earlier because of the A/H1N1 flu virus, the country's food safety watchdog said on Thursday.

The ban on pork imports from Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Nevada and Ohio was lifted because of "the absence of worsening epidemic/outbreak conditions," Rosselkhoznadzor, the watchdog, said in a statement.

However, the watchdog imposed a ban on pork products from Illinois. A ban on pork from seven other American states remains in effect.

Russia has also banned pork imports from some Canadian provinces, Britain and Spain, despite claims that the flu virus can not be transmitted by meat.

The World Health Organization has reiterated that there is no risk of infection by consuming well-cooked pork and pork products.