USDA Collecting Ground Beef Samples Amid Bird Flu Outbreak in Dairy Cows

(CTN News) – On Monday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced its initiative to gather samples of ground beef from retail outlets in states grappling with outbreaks of bird flu among dairy cows.

Despite these concerns, the USDA maintains its confidence in the safety of the meat supply.

The agency will subject the collected ground beef samples to tests aimed at detecting the presence of viral particles, as stated in their announcement. Notably, some dairy cows are processed into ground beef once they reach a certain age.

Additionally, as part of efforts to manage the ongoing outbreak, the USDA has implemented a new requirement.

Henceforth, lactating dairy cows must test negative for bird flu prior to interstate shipment, marking a recent development in the federal response to the month-long outbreak.

Measures to Ensure Food Safety Amid Bird Flu Concerns

On Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released preliminary findings indicating that pasteurization effectively eliminates the bird flu virus in milk, following gold-standard PCR tests.

This revelation comes as Colorado joins eight other states in reporting cases of infected dairy herds.

In alignment with this focus on safety measures, the USDA has announced plans to subject retail beef samples to PCR tests as well.

Furthermore, as part of a separate study, the USDA intends to employ a “virus surrogate” in ground beef. This will involve cooking the meat at various temperatures to ascertain the virus’s response.

The USDA emphasizes that cooking meat to an appropriate internal temperature effectively eliminates both bacteria and viruses, ensuring consumer safety.

USDA’s Vigilance in Response to Avian Influenza Outbreak

Additionally, the department is actively gathering beef muscle samples from slaughter facilities where dairy cattle have been condemned. These samples will undergo analysis to determine the presence of viral particles.

Last week, the USDA disclosed its discovery of bird flu in a lung tissue sample taken from an asymptomatic dairy cow that had been sent to slaughter from an infected herd. Notably, this animal did not enter the food supply, as confirmed by the USDA.

In response to the outbreak, Colombia has imposed restrictions on the import of beef and beef products originating from U.S. states where dairy cows have tested positive for avian influenza as of April 15, according to information provided by the USDA.

It’s important to note that there have been no reported cases of bird flu in beef cattle thus far.