Fragments of fowl flu virus genome present in pasteurized milk, FDA says

Cows being milked

Enlarge / Cows being milked (credit score: Getty | Edwin Remsberg)

The Meals and Drug Administration on Tuesday introduced that genetic fragments from the highly-pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 have been detected within the pasteurized, industrial milk provide. Nevertheless, the testing accomplished thus far—utilizing quantitative polymerase chain response (qPCR)—solely detects the presence of viral genetic materials and can’t inform whether or not the genetic materials is from reside and infectious viral particles or merely remnants of useless ones killed by the pasteurization course of.

Testing is now ongoing to see if viable, infectious H5N1 may be recognized in milk samples.

To date, the FDA nonetheless believes that the milk provide is protected. “So far, we’ve got seen nothing that may change our evaluation that the industrial milk provide is protected,” the company stated in a prolonged rationalization of the discovering and ongoing testing.

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