As avian flu outbreaks spread to more and more farm animals, concerns are growing about the safety of consuming animal products such as milk and eggs.
Bird flu, also called bird flu, is caused by a subtype of the influenza A virus. There are many subtypes, but the strain associated with the most recent outbreak is the highly pathogenic H5N1.
Avian flu spreads naturally among wild birds such as ducks and geese, but it can also affect domestic birds and other animals. In the United States, this strain has infected more than 90 million chickens. It also spread to 36 dairy farms in nine states.
Fortunately, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it has not found any live infectious viruses in commercial foods. However, fragments of the virus have been found in pasteurized milk, sour cream and cottage cheese.
Federal officials emphasize that the chance of contracting bird flu from food is low, but certain choices, such as choosing pasteurized milk, can increase that risk.
Here's what infectious disease and food safety experts have to say about whether you can get bird flu from eating poultry, beef, eggs, milk and other dairy products.
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It's possible for people to get avian flu, but it's rare, according to Dr. S. Wesley Long, medical director of diagnostic microbiology at Houston Methodist.
“It is not easily transmitted between people and usually requires close contact with an infected animal,” he said. health.
According to experts, people can get sick when the virus gets into their eyes, nose or mouth after inhaling virus particles or touching an infected animal or surface.
There have been fewer than 1,000 known cases of H5N1 flu worldwide since 1997, when H5N1 flu was first discovered in humans. In the United States, only a small number of people have contracted bird flu.
Most recently, in April, a farm worker in Texas became infected with H5N1 after exposure to a dairy cow. In 2022, another person became infected with H5N1 after working on a poultry farm in Colorado. Other U.S. cases have been linked to less virulent variants.
Symptoms can range from mild, such as eye infections, to serious, such as fatal pneumonia.
Experts say it is highly unlikely that someone will contract bird flu from eating contaminated food.
The current position is that H5N1 “is not a food safety concern and the risk of transmission to humans remains low,” said Elaine Vanier, director of NSF International's Animal Welfare and Animal Feed Program. health.
The food industry has long said it has safeguards in place to ensure poultry infected with avian flu is not sold on the market.
“If an infected bird is found, the entire flock must be culled because it is highly contagious and commercially destructive to commercial poultry,” Long said. “This poultry is not for sale.”
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) also mandated that dairy cows test negative for influenza A from an accredited laboratory before being shipped across state lines.
Even if the virus does end up in eggs or beef, Long said heating the food to “normal cooking temperatures,” or at least 165 degrees, “will destroy not only the virus, but also the much more common disease-causing bacteria.” , good night salmonella.”
Despite the discovery of dead particles of noninfectious influenza virus fragments in commercial pasteurized milk, sour cream, and cottage cheese, the FDA has reassured the public that the milk supply is safe.
Webby said there was no reason to believe there were live viruses in pasteurized milk. This means that it has gone through a heating process to kill potential pathogens.
“The data generated so far shows that the virus fortunately does not survive pasteurization,” Webby said. “We tested pasteurized milk and found no live viruses. Therefore, pasteurized milk is safe.”
However, experts advise against drinking unpasteurized milk, also called raw milk, and products containing it.
“It is definitely dangerous to consume raw, unpasteurized milk in the United States today,” Webby said. “We know that the H5 virus is present in the milk of infected cows.”
In addition to avoiding unpasteurized milk and thoroughly cooking meat, chicken, and eggs, Dr. Nathaniel Tablante, professor of veterinary medicine at the University of Maryland, recommends taking precautions to help prevent the spread of pathogens.
This includes properly storing and handling animal food, as well as “washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.” health.
It is also important to check websites from trusted sources such as the CDC, FDA, and USDA to stay informed about the latest avian flu trends.