Traces of bird flu have been detected in pasteurized milk, leaving many people wondering if it is safe to drink.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an advisory Thursday that one in five samples of commercial milk sold at retail tested positive for fragments of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), more commonly known as influenza. avian or avian flu.
The proportion of milk containing viral remains was higher in areas where cattle herds had been infected.
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The presence of the virus in milk, however, does not necessarily mean there is a risk to consumers, the FDA noted.
“Additional testing is needed to determine whether an intact pathogen is still present and whether it remains infectious, which would help determine whether there is a risk of illness associated with consumption of the product,” the agency said.
Traces of bird flu have been detected in pasteurized milk, leaving many people wondering if it is safe to drink. (iStock)
“Although bird flu virus do not normally infect humans, sporadic human infections have occurred,” the FDA said in the alert.
Pasteurization eliminates risks, experts say
Before milk can be sold commercially, government regulations require it to be pasteurized.
During the pasteurization process, raw milk is heated to a certain temperature for a brief period and then cooled again, according to the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) website.
This process kills all pathogens and ensures that the milk is safe to drink.
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Dr. Scott Pegan, a professor of biomedical sciences at the University of California, Riverside and a biochemist at the U.S. Chemical Defense Medical Research Institute, said the FDA’s findings do not mean there is a direct risk for consumers.
“In the United States, commercial milk sold within the state must be pasteurized,” he told Fox News Digital. “This process aims to kill viruses like H5N1 and other bacteria that can pose a threat to human health.”
A milk pasteurization system is demonstrated at a food and beverage exhibition. Pasteurization is a process that kills microbes in foods and drinks, such as milk, juice, canned foods and others. (iStock)
“Pasteurized milk is safe and there is currently no reason to avoid it or other pasteurized dairy products based on FDA findings,” Pegan continued.
“However, there is a…
