(VitalNews.org) – The United States will track bird flu infections in dairy cows that are brought in to be slaughtered to better understand the way that the virus infects meat. They will also continue to test raw milk and cheeses to see if the virus is inactivated in the aging process.
The United States food chain has been focused on the growing H5N1 virus, or the bird flu, that has been presenting itself in dairy milk. This has sparked investigations and studies to find out more about this virus and why it’s affecting more than just birds now.
Regulators have said that they will inspect eight hundred samples from dairy cows in slaughterhouses. These cows are usually slaughtered when they don’t produce milk or they are “retired.”
The new cattle survey will represent a clearer picture of how widespread this virus is in meat and it could also offer insight into potential risks of the virus. These new surveys are set to begin in the middle of next month.
If a sample tests positive, then the United States Department of Agriculture will purchase the carcass and conduct more studies and experiments on the animal. They are hoping to look to see if the virus is viable, what temperature it’s killed at, and if it’s still present in the animal following death.
José Emilio Esteban, the USDA’s under-secretary for food safety, said that they did a study where they pumped ground beef full of an imitation virus and then cooked the meat. The burger meat was much thicker than you might see at a fast food restaurant. However, Estaben said that cooking the meat fully did inactivate the virus.
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