Bird flu is spreading to more farm animals. Are milk and eggs safe?

• No less than 26 herds of U.S. dairy cows in eight states have been affected by a chook flu outbreak.
• This comes simply weeks after Cal-Maine Meals, the biggest egg producer within the U.S., halted operations after discovering chook flu in its chickens.
• Well being officers say the U.S. meals provide stays ‘secure and secure.’

A chook flu outbreak in U.S. dairy cows has grown to have an effect on greater than two dozen herds in eight states, simply weeks after the nation’s largest egg producer discovered the virus in its chickens.

Well being officers stress that the danger to the general public is low and that the U.S. meals provide stays secure and secure.

“Presently, there continues to be no concern that this circumstance poses a danger to shopper well being, or that it impacts the protection of the interstate business milk provide,” the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration stated in a press release.

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Right here’s what it’s essential to find out about chook flu and meals:

WHICH STATES HAVE FOUND BIRD FLU IN DAIRY COWS?

As of Friday, the pressure of chook flu that has killed tens of millions of untamed birds lately has been present in not less than 26 dairy herds in eight U.S. states: Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas and South Dakota.

The virus, referred to as Kind A H5N1, has been detected in a spread of mammals over the previous few years, however that is the primary time it has been present in cattle, in keeping with federal well being and animal businesses. Genetic evaluation of the virus doesn’t present that it has modified to unfold extra simply in folks, the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention stated.

HOW IS BIRD FLU AFFECTING FOOD PRODUCTION?

Agriculture officers in not less than 17 states have restricted imports of dairy cattle from states the place the virus has been detected, however, thus far, authorities businesses say it’s had little impact on business milk manufacturing. Officers imagine cows seemingly have been contaminated by publicity to wild birds, however stated cow-to-cow unfold “can’t be dominated out.”

Farmers are testing cows that present signs of an infection, together with sharply lowered milk provide and lethargy. Animals that present indicators or check constructive for sickness are being separated from different animals on the farms. The animals seem to get better inside two weeks.

U.S. egg producers are watching the state of affairs intently after chook flu was detected in chickens in Texas and Michigan. Tens of millions of birds have been killed, however the FDA stated the danger of affected eggs entering into the retail market or inflicting infections in people is low due to federal inspections and different safeguards.

DOES PASTEURIZATION KILL BIRD FLU?

Scientists say there’s no proof to counsel that individuals can contract the virus by consuming meals that’s been pasteurized, or heat-treated — or correctly cooked.

“It’s not a meals security concern,” stated Lee-Ann Jaykus, an emeritus meals microbiologist and virologist at North Carolina State College.

Two folks in U.S. have been contaminated with chook flu so far. A Texas dairy employee who was in shut contact with an contaminated cow not too long ago developed a light eye an infection and has recovered. In 2022, a jail inmate in a piece program caught it whereas killing contaminated birds at a Colorado poultry farm. His solely symptom was fatigue, and he recovered.

IS GROCERY STORE MILK SAFE FROM BIRD FLU?

Sure, in keeping with meals security consultants and authorities officers.

U.S. producers are barred from promoting milk from sick cows and should divert and destroy it. As well as, milk bought throughout state traces is required to be pasteurized, or heat-treated utilizing a course of that kills micro organism and viruses, together with influenza.

“We firmly imagine that pasteurization gives a secure milk provide,” Tracey Forfa, director of the FDA’s Middle for Veterinary Drugs advised a webinar viewers this week.

IS RAW MILK SAFE FROM BIRD FLU?

The FDA and the CDC are much less sure about unpasteurized, or uncooked, milk bought in lots of states, saying there’s restricted details about the potential transmission of the H5N1 virus in such merchandise.

Thus far, no herds linked to uncooked milk suppliers have reported cows contaminated with chook flu, however the businesses advocate that the trade not make or promote uncooked milk or uncooked milk cheese merchandise made with milk from cows that present signs — or are uncovered to contaminated cows.

U.S. well being officers have lengthy warned towards the danger of foodborne sickness tied to uncooked milk, which the CDC stated brought on greater than 200 outbreaks that sickened greater than 2,600 folks between 1998 and 2018.

Nonetheless, uncooked milk proponents like Mark McAfee, proprietor of Uncooked Farm USA in Fresno, Calif., stated the outbreak of H5N1 in business cows seems to have spurred increased gross sales of the merchandise, regardless of federal warnings.

CAN YOU CATCH BIRD FLU FROM EGGS OR MEAT?

Solely dairy cows, not beef cattle, have been contaminated or proven indicators of sickness so far, agriculture officers stated.

The biggest egg producer within the U.S. quickly halted operations on April 2 after discovering chook flu in its chickens. Cal-Maine Meals culled about 1.6 million laying hens and one other 337,000 pullets, or younger hens, after the detection.

The corporate stated there was no danger to eggs available in the market and that no eggs had been recalled.

Eggs which might be dealt with correctly and cooked totally are fit for human consumption, stated Barbara Kowalcyk, director of the Middle for Meals Security and Diet Safety at George Washington College.

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“Lots of people like runny eggs. Personally, if I eat an egg, it’s very effectively cooked,” she stated.

Nonetheless, Kowalcyk and others cautioned that the state of affairs might change.

“That is an rising difficulty and clearly this pathogen is evolving and there’s loads that we don’t know,” she stated. “I do assume that everyone is attempting to determine it out as shortly as potential.”