The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended on Friday that farm workers who have contact with sick birds or livestock should wear personal protective equipment. The CDC reported that the virus has spread to 36 cattle herds across nine states in the U.S. Traces of bird flu have also been found in retail milk samples. However, the CDC is facing difficulties in gaining access to dairy farms to monitor the spread of the virus.
What Exactly Is Bird Flu?
Avian influenza, which is commonly known as bird flu, is the disease caused by infection with avian (bird) influenza (flu) Type A viruses. These infectious agents by nature spreads among wild aquatic birds across the globe, and have the ability to infect domestic poultry, along with other avian and animal species. While this virus typically do not infect humans, there have been occasional cases of human infections with these viruses.
Fears Triggered by the Outbreak
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The outbreak of bird flu in US cattle has raised significant concerns among governments. Who now are on high alert due to the potential contamination of meat and dairy products. In addition to the risk of infecting other mammals. As well as the risk of humans getting infected by the disease.
The increase in cases is challenging advancements in disease management since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Particularly in addressing the risk of zoonotic diseases that can transfer from animals to humans. Scientists express that the present evidence doesn’t indicate a high pandemic threat. Yet, they are advocating for urgent investigations into the virus, its transmission to cows, as well as its potential mutations.
Foods That Are Deemed Safe By the FDA
On last Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration announced the safety of dairy products such as cottage cheese and sour cream amidst concerns over the bird flu outbreak. This assurance came after the discovery of virus fragments in the commercial milk supply last week. This prompted the FDA to conduct tests on 297 pasteurized dairy products for sale.
In its announcement on Wednesday, the FDA confirmed that these tests did not detect any live virus capable of causing illness to humans. Don Prater, acting director of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, asserted during the announcement that while the results are still preliminary, they “affirm the safety of the U.S. commercial milk supply.” Notably, samples for testing were collected from 38 states.
In addition to this, the FDA has conducted tests on powdered infant and toddler formulas. The tests did not detect any traces of the virus. However, the exact number of formula samples that were tested is unknown.
Additionally Conducting Tests On Ground Beef, But Thinks It’s Safe
Federal officials already announced they would begin conducting tests on ground beef from stores in states with bird flu outbreaks dairy cows.
There ha been no cases of bird flu virus have been reported in ground beef. Yet samples still will be analyzed by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. This will be done by using tests designed to detect the presence of any viral particles, the agency confirmed.
In addition to this safety measure, two other safety studies will be conducted, as some dairy cows are processed into ground beef as they age. The Food Safety and Inspection Service will collect muscle samples from dairy cattle at slaughter facilities, which will also go through testing.
The USDA stated that the agency will perform additional testing for live virus on any positive tests from tissue samples and ground beef sold in retail. Additionally, cooking studies will be carried out on ground beef to determine the temperatures required to eliminate the virus.
Suggestions For Food Safety
Here are some suggestions from experts regarding food safety during the bird flu outbreak.
- Steer clear of unpasteurized milk and cheese made from unpasteurized milk.
- Refrain from consuming undercooked eggs, poultry, and meat.
- Take a look at the Department of Health and Human Services website for recommended food temperatures to ensure proper cooking.
Written by Jaliyah Triplett
Sources:
CDC: Information on Bird Flu
Financial Times: Bird flu outbreak in US cattle sparks fears over next global health crisis
NBC News: Cottage cheese and sour cream are safe amid bird flu outbreak, FDA says by Hans Pennink / AP file
USA Today: As bird flu virus concerns grow in US, so do tests of milk, cheese, meat and other foods by Kinsey Crowley, Julia Gomez, Mike Snider, Karen Weintraub and USA TODAY
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Inset Image by CDC and NIAID Courtesy of NIAID Flickr Page- Creative Commons License
