As the US continues to grapple with its bird flu outbreak, concerns have emerged about the risk of contracting the virus from eggs and milk products. However, health experts say that the risk is extremely low for pasteurized products, which undergo a process that kills harmful viruses like H5N1.
While over 150 million poultry birds have been killed in an attempt to combat the outbreak, and hundreds of dairy cow herds have been affected, reports of bird flu virus fragments found in milk products have sparked worry. However, experts assure that pasteurized milk is safe, as it has been shown to completely kill the virus.
In fact, government regulations require egg processors to wash and sanitize eggs before they enter the marketplace, and some pasteurized eggs are available in stores with FDA approval. Cooking raw or undercooked eggs also kills the virus, experts say. However, if eggs from a culled flock are sold, they must be discarded immediately.
The risk is higher for unpasteurized milk, also known as raw milk, which can carry the avian flu virus. The FDA has warned against consuming raw milk due to the high concentration of this virus in dairy cattle. Experts say there have been many cases of animals becoming ill and dying from drinking contaminated raw milk.
Freezing eggs or milk does not kill bird flu, as some pathogens can survive at low temperatures. Instead, experts recommend pasteurized products and cooking methods to mitigate the risk of contracting the virus.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/bird-flu-spreads-risk-eggs-milk/story?id=118544360