After bird flu was first reported in dairy cow herds earlier this spring, health agencies reported that the virus and bacteria were detected in raw or unpasteurized milk samples.
However, fragments of the H5N1 virus that causes bird flu were also found in pasteurized milk samples.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has emphasized that commercial milk supplies remain safe.
Pasteurization is expected to inactivate the bird flu virus and render it non-infectious.
“Based on current information, pasteurization is likely to inactivate the virus, but the process is not expected to eliminate the presence of viral particles,” the FDA said.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a federal order requiring the testing of cows crossing state lines in an effort to prevent the spread of bird flu.
What is pasteurization? Does it kill bird flu?
Pasteurization is a heating process invented by French chemist Louis Pasteur in the 1860s and has since been widely used to kill harmful bacteria and pathogens that can sometimes cause serious illness.
These include disease-causing bacteria such as E. coli, Listeria and Salmonella, and other pathogens.
Pasteurization is also expected to kill or inactivate the virus that causes bird flu; Therefore, health officials continue to say that there is no risk in supplying pasteurized dairy products or commercial milk.
Tags: Bird flu virus pasteurized milk
