After a recent outbreak of avian flu in dairy cows, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is taking precautionary measures by testing the beef supply. The agency has expressed confidence that the meat supply is safe but is sampling ground beef in the states where the H5N1 virus has been detected.
Ground beef sold at retail in nine states where the bird flu virus was found in dairy cows is being sampled by the USDA. These states include Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, and Texas. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, also known as bird or avian flu, can spread from wild birds to domestic poultry and other animals. While rare, sporadic infections of bird flu in humans have been reported.
Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, the USDA is determining whether the virus is present in the ground beef samples. In addition to sampling ground beef, the agency is also conducting PCR tests on the muscles of dairy cows that were culled for disease at slaughter facilities.
All federal livestock slaughter facilities have Food Safety and Inspection Service veterinarians present to examine animals before and after slaughter, ensuring they are safe for human consumption. A study will also be conducted on beef cooking methods to test how different temperatures affect virus reduction.
Consumers are reminded to handle raw meats properly and cook them to a safe internal temperature to eliminate any bacteria or viruses. The USDA will release the results of these studies once they are available.
Last week, the FDA confirmed that the milk supply was safe despite some commercial milk samples testing positive for bird flu fragments. Both the FDA and USDA credit pasteurization and proper protocols for keeping the U.S. milk supply free from contamination.