The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has found remnants of the bird flu virus in some samples of pasteurized milk in grocery stores. The agency says the milk is safe to drink, but it’s still waiting for more studies to be done to make sure.
FDA revealed this on last Tuesday. The news follows the discovery of an outbreak of the H5N1 strain of bird flu in herds of dairy cows in several states last month. Let’s learn more about this revelation.
Video Source- ABC News
Bird Flu Spreads to Dairy Cows in Multiple States
A month after finding bird flu in millions of birds, it’s now in dairy cows in eight states. The Agriculture Department says 33 herds are hit with the virus.
In March 2024, scientists confirmed the H5N1 virus in dairy cows after reports of sick cows in Texas. Cows were lethargic and produced less milk. Experts revealed that, unlike the farm birds, cows usually recover in two weeks. The virus is seemingly lethal for poultry.
Monitoring Milk Safety Amid Bird Flu Concerns
FDA officials didn’t say how many samples they tested or where they got them. They’ve been checking milk from processing plants and stores, and more test results are expected soon.
Federal rules say that milk sold in different states must be pasteurized. Since the bird flu virus is new, there aren’t studies yet on how pasteurization specifically affects it. However, earlier research suggests pasteurization can likely kill similar viruses.
According to Lee-Ann Jaykus, a scientist from North Carolina State University, the test the FDA used could find parts of the virus even after pasteurization, but there’s no proof yet that it’s still infectious.
Matt Herrick, who speaks for the International Dairy Foods Association, says strict pasteurization rules ensure U.S. milk is safe and remnants of the killed virus don’t harm anyone.
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