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Spread of bird flu in the US sparks expanded mass testing of dairy products
Ice cream, butter and cheese are among the latest products set to be tested for bird flu by the FDA — amid a rampant outbreak in dairy cows.
In a release, the agency revealed it would swab 155 products bought from grocery stores nationwide for traces of the H5N1 virus.
If any are positive for the virus, further tests will be carried out to determine whether the virus inside them is 'alive' — or able to cause an infection in humans.
The expanded testing builds on previous, which found the virus in grocery store milks, cottage cheeses and sour creams, but in every case, the virus was 'dead' and unable to cause an infection in humans.
Ground beef, infant formula and powdered milk were also all swabbed for the virus and all tested negative.
A checkmark indicates foods that have tested positive for bird flu, while an X indicates those that have been tested for bird flu but were not found to contain the virus
More than 120 dairy herds across the US have now tested positive for bird flu, triggering increased concerns among health officials over the virus entering this country's food supply.
Officials have so far suggested the risk to the public is 'low' because dairy products are pasteurized — where milk is quickly heated to 162 degrees Fahrenheit (72 Celsius) and then cooled — to kill off any dangerous pathogens.
Tests have shown bird flu virus fragments found in products do not multiply in lab experiments, revealing they are 'dead' — or unable to make copies of themselves and infect humans.
Those who drink raw milk and its products, however, are at risk because the products are not pasteurized — and could still contain 'live' virus.
Officials have urged people not to consume raw milk or any product containing it.
But the alarm has had the opposite effect for many, with data suggesting sales of raw milk have jumped 21 percent. One farm in California says it can barely keep the milk on its shelves.
And fitness and stay-at-home-mom influencers are encouraging people to drink raw milk products.
There have been no recorded cases of people catching bird flu after eating dairy products from grocery stores or ground beef.
But in April, a former FDA official warned DailyMail.com there was a risk of contracting the virus from steaks that were not cooked enough — saying the virus could survive cooking in the center of the meat and then be consumed by people.
In addition to the new products, the FDA said in the press it would also test more samples of pasteurized milks, cheeses and cream cheeses.
It will collect samples from stores across the US, including in states where testing has not been carried out, and take them to its labs to be screened for the virus.
Previously, 300 samples of milks and cream cheeses were tested from states including New York, New Jersey, California and Texas.
Of these, 60 — or 20 percent — were found to contain the virus.
The FDA did not release the names of the bird flu-contaminated products and said it plans to release the full results in the 'near future'.
No infected dairy cow herds are known to be contributing to the raw milk supply, said Eric Deeble, USDA's acting senior adviser for its bird flu response.
Three dairy farm workers have caught bird flu in the US so far this year, one in Texas and two in Michigan. All three worked closely with cattle infected with the virus.
The CDC says it has monitored 690 people who were exposed to animals suspected or confirmed to be infected with bird flu, officials say.
Fifty-one people who developed flu-like symptoms have also been tested.