HEALTH
Traces bird flu found in grocery store milk: Is it safe to drink? How does it spread to humans?
While H5N1 avian influenza typically infects birds, a recent development has caused some concern: outbreaks in dairy cattle across several US states.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said that particles of the H5N1 avian influenza, also known as bird flu, have been detected in grocery store milk.
It does say that these particles are unlikely to infect people, being remnants of the pasteurisation process. Pasteurisation, a heat treatment, effectively destroys viruses like H5N1.
What is pasteurisation?
Pasteurisation is a food safety process that uses heat to kill harmful bacteria and other pathogens in food and beverages. It's named after Louis Pasteur, the French scientist who developed the process in the 1860s. By eliminating these harmful organisms, pasteursation extends the shelf life of perishable items.
While some may be concerned about the recent dairy cow cases, commercially produced milk remains safe to drink.
“To date, we have seen nothing that would change our assessment that the commercial milk supply is safe. Results from multiple studies will be made available in the next few days to weeks,” the agency said.
WHat is bird flu?
H5N1, commonly known as bird flu, is an influenza virus circulating widely among wild birds globally. While human infections are rare, typically occurring from close contact with infected birds or environments, the virus can cause a range of illness, from mild eye irritation to severe pneumonia and even death. Since 2003, 455 deaths have been reported worldwide.
The good news is that health organisations consider the current public health risk from H5N1 to be low. The virus doesn’t easily spread between people. However, close monitoring is essential to prevent mutations that could change this.