WARNING: Bird Flu Has Been Found in Milk! Does The FDA Say It’s Safe To Drink?
In a shocking discovery, the FDA recently revealed the bird flu virus was found in 1 out of every 5 samples of milk tested! Are you safe?🥛 #BirdFlu #MilkSafety #FoodSafety
Rochester, Minnesota – In a shocking discovery, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has revealed that traces of the bird flu virus were found in one out of every five samples of pasteurized milk tested across the country. The news for folks in Minnesota and across the Midwest comes just weeks after the avian influenza virus, which has been infecting wild and commercial birds for years, was detected in dairy cows.
Before we get into the article, please understand we are not medical experts and this is not health advice. I’m an author and travel blogger married to a guy named Jack who loves tater tot hotdish. We are simply reporting on the latest news from the FDA. The link to the full report is at the bottom of this page, along with sources used for this article. Ok, with that out of the way, let’s get dig in!
Where Has Bird Flu Been Detected?
So far, bird flu has been found in 33 dairy herds in at least eight states, including Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota, and Texas, according to the FDA (1). The milk samples that tested positive for the virus were more likely to come from areas with infected herds.
Is It Still Safe to Drink Milk?
Despite the concerning findings, health officials maintain that it’s still safe to drink milk. “To date, we have seen nothing that would change our assessment that the commercial milk supply is safe,” the FDA said (1).
The reason for this is simple: pasteurization. This process, which involves heating milk to a specific temperature for a set period of time, kills harmful bacteria and viruses. According to the FDA, the viral particles detected in the milk samples were likely just remnants of viruses that had already been killed during pasteurization.
Nam Tran, a professor and senior director of clinical pathology at UC Davis Health, explains that the highly-sensitive qPCR tests used to detect the virus don’t necessarily mean the milk contains a live, infectious virus. “The genetic material, the RNA found in the grocery store milk samples, may not be the infectious H5N1 virus, but fragments from it,” Tran said (2).
What About Eggs and Meat?
While the news about milk may be worrying, it’s important to note that only dairy cows have been infected or shown signs of illness so far. Beef cattle have not been affected, according to agriculture officials (3).
As for eggs, the largest egg producer in the U.S., Cal-Maine Foods, temporarily halted operations on April 2 after finding bird flu in its chickens. The company culled about 1.6 million laying hens and another 337,000 pullets, or young hens, but stressed that there was no risk to eggs in the market and that no eggs had been recalled (3).
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) also assures consumers that poultry and eggs are safe to eat as long as they are properly prepared and cooked. “Proper food safety practices are important every day. In addition to proper processing, proper handling and cooking of poultry provides protection from viruses and bacteria, including avian influenza,” the USDA states (3).
The Bottom Line
While the discovery of bird flu in milk samples may be unsettling, officials say it’s crucial to remember that pasteurization is an effective way to kill viruses and bacteria. According to the experts, as long as you’re buying pasteurized milk from the grocery store, you can rest assured that it’s safe to drink.
And when it comes to eggs and poultry, officials add: just make sure you’re following proper food safety practices, like washing your hands, keeping raw meat separate from other foods, and cooking everything thoroughly. Experts say that with these simple steps, you can enjoy your favorite foods without worrying about getting sick. What do you think?
Sources:
- Learn more – read the full FDA report here
- (1) U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- (2) Nam Tran, UC Davis Health
- (3) U.S. Department of Agriculture
🗣 What do you think of this news? Will you keep drinking milk or will you be looking for alternatives? We’d LOVE to hear from you in the comments section below. ⬇️