Everything You Need To Know Right Now About Bird Flu And Milk

Established over a century ago, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is meant to maintain public health by ensuring the safety of drugs, food products, and more.
The crucial role the FDA plays cannot be overstated, as it protects consumers from harm. The organization regularly monitors products on the market for any signs of danger.
In April, the FDA found that one out of five samples of milk from the grocery store tested positive for the bird flu virus.
No live virus was detected in the milk samples, meaning that it isn’t infectious. However, the results of their studies show that the outbreak of infections in cows is more widespread than previously thought.
Based on the FDA’s findings, about 20 percent of retail milk samples contained traces of the bird flu. The virus has been confirmed in dairy cattle in twelve states, including Michigan, Idaho, Texas, New Mexico, South Dakota, Kansas, Colorado, Minnesota, Iowa, North Carolina, Ohio, and Wyoming.
“The discovery of bird flu virus fragments in commercial milk is significant, not because it poses a direct threat to public health, but because it indicates a broader exposure among dairy cattle than we previously understood,” said John Brownstein, an epidemiologist at Boston Children’s Hospital.
“This calls for an expanded surveillance of both the virus’ presence and its potential impact on food safety.”
Tests to date suggest that the virus identified in dairy cattle is H5N1, of the Eurasian lineage goose/Guangdong clade 2.3.4.4b. This is the same one impacting wild birds and poultry flocks, and it has also led to sporadic infections in various species of wild mammals.
In affected cows, typical clinical signs include decreased appetite, lower milk production, and abnormal milk appearance.

karegg – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
Since the initial report in April, the FDA has continued sharing updates on the matter.
“Last week, we announced preliminary results of a study of 297 retail dairy samples, which were all found to be negative for viable virus. The FDA is today announcing that all final egg inoculation tests associated with this retail sampling study have been completed and were also found to be negative for viable HPAI H5N1 virus,” the FDA stated on May 10.
“These confirmatory test results mark the completion of our laboratory research efforts related to these 297 retail dairy samples. Additional sampling and other surveillance activities will continue.”
Most recently, on June 6, the FDA also detailed how a letter was issued to all states regarding both the sale and consumption of raw milk.
“While the introduction into interstate commerce of raw milk for human consumption is prohibited under the FDA’s authority, we know that a number of states permit the intrastate (within the state’s borders) sale of raw milk for human consumption, with varying structures and requirements to these state programs,” the update states.
“The FDA wants to collaborate with our regulatory partners in reducing exposure of viable HPAI H5N1 to humans and animals during this outbreak in dairy cattle. The agency’s letter to all state, territorial, and tribal partners provides recommendations to help reduce risks of exposure to HPAI H5N1 virus associated with raw milk consumption.”
The FDA also reiterated how consuming unpasteurized – or raw – milk is deemed high-risk due to the possibility of it being contaminated with illness-causing pathogens. Additionally, unpasteurized milk has been associated with multiple past foodborne illness outbreaks.
Given the current limited research and available information, the FDA said it is unclear whether the HPAI H5N1 virus can be transmitted to humans through the consumption of raw milk and products made from raw milk from infected cows.
“Pasteurization is a proven process with a long history of protecting public health and is highly effective at eliminating the dangers associated with consuming raw milk,” the FDA concluded in the most recent statement.
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