2 days Ago By Joy Saha
-- Shares Facebook Twitter Reddit Email The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has begun collecting and testing samples of aged, raw cow’s milk cheese for the presence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1), better known as bird flu, Food Safety News reported . The agency plans to collect 300 samples of raw milk cheese from warehouses and distribution hubs, along with their label information. Samples will come from cheese that has been aged a minimum of 60 days — the timeframe that the U.
S. requires raw milk cheese to be made in order to reduce the risk of any pathogens. Sample collection is slated to last until March, but there’s a possibility it may last longer.
The testing comes amid an ongoing, multistate outbreak of bird flu in dairy cows that was first reported on March 25, 2024, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC reported that 66 cases of bird flu in humans have been confirmed nationwide. Approximately two-thirds of those cases were linked to dairy herds.
Related A single mutation could make bird flu much worse, study finds The FDA is working with the CDC, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and state partners to investigate the outbreak.
“Any samples that test positive for viable virus will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. This means that depending on the findings, the FDA will consider next steps, which may include actions needed to address contaminated product, such as a recall, follow-up inspection, or other possible responses to protect public health,” the FDA said. The agency said it will publish its findings once the investigation is complete, according to The Hill .
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