Raw milk consumption may put people at risk of catching Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1), according to the Oregon Health Authority. This virus, also known as the bird flu, has now started infecting dairy cattle across the country. Dean Sidelinger, M.D., M.S.Ed., health officer and state epidemiologist at OHA, said in a statement, "We know that if H5N1 is present in the milk of infected dairy cattle, it will be killed by pasteurization. Drinking raw milk carries many health risks, and those risks may now include H5N1 infection.” The FDA has tested 297 retail milk sample from 38 states for the H5N1 virus. About 20% of those samples tested positive for viral fragments, but none contained the live infectious virus because it is destroyed through pasteurization. There are … [Read more...]
Ground Beef Tests Negative For Avian Influenza, Says USDA
Ground beef tests negative for Avian Influenza, the USDA said on May 1, 2024. With the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) affecting not only birds, but cattle in recent weeks, there had been some concern that the virus would be found in ground beef. The virus has been found intact in raw milk, but only fragments of the pathogen have been discovered in pasteurized milk. The USDA collected samples of ground beef from retail stores in states where dairy cattle herds had tested positive for the virus at the time of sample collection. The samples were sent to APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratory for PCR testing. All samples had tested negative for H5N1, which reaffirms that the meat supply is safe. Of course, avoiding raw milk and cooking all ground beef … [Read more...]
