▶ Ministry of Agriculture “Security of meat supply… “If you cook to a certain temperature, the virus will die.”
As the number of dairy cows infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) increases in the United States, raising concerns about human transmission, authorities have begun investigating post-milk processed beef samples.
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a statement on the 29th and announced that it intends to collect samples of ground beef sold in retail stores in areas where avian influenza has occurred and test for the presence of viral agents.
As the number of dairy cows infected with avian influenza spread, investigations into both beef and milk began. In the United States, older dairy cows are sometimes processed into beef.
The Ministry of Agriculture has announced that it intends to conduct a genetic amplification test (PCR) on beef samples and use substances with similar properties to this virus to test how the virus changes depending on temperature.
However, regardless of the sample analysis, they explained that the meat supply is safe and that bacteria and viruses die when meat is cooked to a certain temperature.
US authorities say this investigation is due to the fact that bird flu is currently spreading.
Dairy cows infected with the H5N1 virus were first reported in Texas and Kansas on the 25th of last month, and so far cases of infection have been confirmed in nine states for about a month.
The number of infected dairy cows numbers in the dozens, with US authorities announcing on the 24th that the number of infected cows has reached 33.
In fact, it transmits to humans, and a Texas resident tested positive for the H5N1 virus after coming into contact with an infected dairy cow and developing symptoms of conjunctivitis with bloodshot eyes.
The authorities had previously conducted a random investigation of some pasteurized milk.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on the 23rd that some pasteurized milk samples tested positive for the avian influenza virus.
However, the FDA explained that the substance that tested positive was inactivated and was not a real virus that could pose a risk to consumers.
Meanwhile, Colombia in South America has restricted the import of beef and beef products from American states that have tested positive for avian influenza since the 15th.
To date, no cases of avian influenza have been reported in beef cattle.
The World Health Organization (WHO) warns of the dangers of avian influenza.
Chief scientist Jeremy Farrar said on the 18th: “If H5N1 enters the mammalian population, the risk of human infection increases. This virus is looking for a new host.”
According to the WHO, from the beginning of 2003 to the beginning of this month, there have been 889 cases of human infection with avian influenza in 23 countries around the world, of which 463 people have died, recording a mortality rate of 52%.
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