The FDA announced on Tuesday that it had found pieces of the avian flu virus in some pasteurized milk samples in the United States, but it still says that drinking the milk is safe. The agency highlights that it is working with the CDC and USDA to address the matter as it awaits complete test results.
The finding highlights continued surveillance efforts in the wake of a recent H5N1 outbreak in dairy cow herds across numerous states. The PCR-identified viral fragments that were found do not always signify the existence of a live, contagious virus.
“In spite of this, the FDA is carefully evaluating whether pasteurization successfully renders the virus in cow’s milk inactive. Extensive egg inoculation experiments, a standard for determining infectivity, will be used to determine the results, which are anticipated in the upcoming weeks.
Contextualizing the results, Michael Osterholm of the University of Minnesota compares them to other viruses that are frequently found in milk but are rendered inert during pasteurization. The FDA continues to have faith in the security of the commercial milk supply while keeping an eye on the circumstances.
Source :- NBC NEWS
