MEAT+POULTRY - September 2024 - 14

WASHINGTON
Tracking H5N1 testing
A second round of testing for avian
influenza H5N1 in dairy products
confirmed previous test results
that pasteurization kills any active
trace of the virus, making it safe
for consumption, federal officials
announced during an Aug. 13 press call.
The Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) conducted its sample survey
using 167 samples, which included
products like pasteurized milk, cream
cheese, hard cheese, ice cream and
aged raw milk cheese. Approximately
17% of the product samples contained
genetic material from H5N1, but no
viable virus was detected.
" It is clear pasteurization is
effective against the virus, " declared
Steve Grube, chief medical officer
for FDA's Center for Food Safety and
Applied Nutrition.
However, results for aging raw milk
cheese came back inconclusive, leading
the FDA to stick with its assumption
that raw milk consumption presents a
risk to consumers.
" In the case of the raw milk cheese
that we tested, none of the samples in
the study had viral genetic material,
suggesting that the herd producing
the milk used to prepare the cheeses
was from cows uninfected at the time
of milking, " Grube explained. " Thus,
no conclusions can be drawn about
whether the production and aging of
cheese made from unpasteurized milk
is sufficient to inactivate the virus. "
The US Department of Agriculture
announced additional H5N1 studies to
come, specifically plans to test meat
from 800 culled dairy cattle beginning
in September. Emilio Esteban, the US
Department of Agriculture's (USDA)
undersecretary for food safety,
projected the study to run for an
entire year.
Esteban added that the study seeks
to reaffirm the safety of the beef supply.
Previously, the agency determined the
safety of ground beef when cooked
properly, using the " worst-case
scenario, " as Esteban described it.
The study used 300 grams of beef
per burger patty and found that even
cooking to medium killed the virus.
While federal agencies continue to
understand the virus and assess the
risk it poses to the public, officials
are also at work spreading awareness
to dairies of the potential dangers of
the disease.
So far, the USDA has received 35
applications from dairy producers
seeking support. Of those, 23 have been
approved, amounting to approximately
$2 million in aid. A significant portion
of applicants came from Colorado,
which has implemented bulk milk
sampling. During the first week of
August, 12 new applications from
Colorado were approved.
Eric Deeble, deputy undersecretary
for marketing and regulatory programs
at USDA, explained that amounts given
to each individual varies based on the
milk price from the preceding month,
the number of infected animals and
the duration animals were withdrawn
from milking.
When asked about the state of
the H5N1 spread, Deeble said testing
numbers remain high. Colorado has
seen a considerable uptick in testing,
largely in part from its statewide bulk
milk sampling efforts. However, across
the country, a low number of individual
herds is testing positive.
" I don't want to say that we feel like
we're ahead of this ... but I do feel like
the response is adequate, and I do feel
like we are supporting our producers to
make it easy for them to test and make
it easy for them to get the support that
they need, if in fact they are affected, "
Deeble said.
With fall approaching, an increase
in cases is possible as interstate
movement of dairy cattle picks up to
prepare for the added demand during
the school year.
An increase in outbreaks at poultry
operations is also anticipated in line
with migratory bird patterns. However,
their migration is not considered a
threat to keeping the H5N1 virus at
bay among dairy cattle, according to
federal officials.
RACHAEL OATMAN | roatman@sos land.com
" I don't want to say that we feel like we're ahead
of this ... but I do feel like the response is
adequate, and I do feel like we are supporting
our producers to make it easy for them to test
and make it easy for them to get the support that
they need, if in fact they are affected. "
- ERIC DEEBLE
14 MEAT+POULTRY | 09.24 | www.meatpoultry.com
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MEAT+POULTRY - September 2024

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