The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets has launched a collaborative effort with federal partners to develop an updated surveillance strategy for monitoring raw milk cheese made from potentially contaminated milk. The goal is to detect highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus early.
Research conducted by Cornell University suggests that HPAI may survive the 60-day aging process in some raw milk cheeses. To address this, New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball stated that the initiative aims to stay ahead of HPAI and implement a testing strategy at both national and state levels.
The updated strategy complements ongoing efforts by the FDA and USDA, including the National Milk Testing Strategy implemented in New York dairy farms. To date, there have been no human cases linked to HPAI consumption, and the risk remains low. The Department of Agriculture emphasizes strong biosecurity practices among farmers and continues to monitor the risk of HPAI in New York.
Source: https://cbs6albany.com/news/local/new-york-state-enhances-milk-supply-surveillance-amid-avian-flu-concerns