Recent reports have surfaced about bird flu strains detected in milk, sparking concerns about the safety of raw milk consumption. The Food and Drug Administration’s testing indicates that pasteurization effectively removes bird flu strains from milk, spotlighting the potential hazards of consuming unpasteurized dairy products, such as raw milk.
Health professionals advise against consuming unpasteurized dairy during the current avian influenza outbreak affecting poultry and dairy cows. In a statement to CBS New York, Dr. Nidhi Kumar warned, “Do not consume unpasteurized dairy products. I know there are people that are real advocates for it, but this is not the time to do it.”
CDC terms raw milk as ‘one of the riskiest foods’
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has labeled raw milk as “one of the riskiest foods.” Explaining the risks, the agency noted on its website, “Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized to kill harmful bacteria.” The CDC added, “Raw milk can be contaminated with harmful germs that can make you very sick,” leading to symptoms like diarrhea, stomach cramps, and vomiting.
Donal Bisanzio, a senior epidemiologist at RTI International, emphasized that the risks extend beyond bird flu to include salmonella, E. coli, and other pathogens. Many believe that pasteurization might degrade milk quality, but Bisanzio reassures, “A lot of people think the pasteurization can reduce, for example, the quality of the milk, but no one really has shown something like that. … You can have all the nutrients from the (pasteurized) milk.”
US collecting ground beef samples for testing in states
On Monday (April 29), the U.S. started collecting ground beef samples from retail stores across various states for testing amid the bird flu outbreaks, assuring the public of the safety of the meat supply.
The samples will undergo analysis by the U.S. Department of Agriculture using PCR tests to detect “whether any viral particles are present,” along with two additional safety evaluations, according to a government statement. Sarah Little, a spokesperson for the Meat Institute, stated, “USDA’s additional testing is appropriate to ensure public health is protected and to stop the spread of animal disease.”