The government is now testing samples of ground beef sold in retail stores in the nine states where outbreaks of highly virulent bird flu have occurred in dairy cows, while offering assurances that U.S. meat is safe, the USDA said on Monday.
The effort comes after samples of pasteurized milk from around the country tested positive for inactive remnants of the virus known as H5N1, with those samples taken after the the virus was confirmed in dairy herds in nine states: Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota and Texas.
The agency also plans to sample infected beef muscles from culled dairy cows to study whether cooking ground beef reduces the H5N1 virus.
The agency reiterated recommendations that consumers properly handle raw meats and cook them to a safe internal temperature to kill bacteria and viruses.
The USDA on Monday started mandating that lactating dairy cows test negative for bird flu before being transported across state lines.
H5N1, a virus prevalent in wild birds, has spread to poultry and dairy farms, as well as barn cats. While the virus is often fatal for poultry, cows infected with H5N1 typically recover within 10 days.
In the United States, a dairy worker has recently been identified as the second human case of bird flu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in collaboration with federal and state agencies, are monitoring the situation closely.
Following these outbreaks, Colombia has taken steps to limit imports of U.S. beef, a decision that has been criticized by the U.S. Meat Export Federation. The trade group stated that Colombia's efforts to suspend beef imports from specific U.S. states are impractical and misguided.
Source: USMEF Statement on Colombia's Restrictions on U.S. Beef
