Health officials in Canada and the U.S. are advising consumers to stick to pasteurized dairy amid an avian flu outbreak affecting U.S. dairy cattle.
This precaution comes after the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) detected traces of the H5N1 virus in processed milk samples. Early research shows that pasteurization effectively neutralizes the virus.
The outbreak in the U.S. led to abnormally thick and yellowish milk from some infected cows. While no cases have been reported in Canadian cows, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency continues to monitor milk sold in stores for any traces of the virus.
Pasteurization, a process of heating food to kill germs, is crucial for ensuring the safety of dairy products. Health experts emphasize that consuming raw milk, especially during an avian flu outbreak, poses an increased risk of serious illness, particularly for vulnerable populations like children, pregnant individuals, and older adults.
In Canada, raw milk is not sold commercially, and pasteurization of milk has been mandatory since 1991. However, raw milk cheese is available, with safety measures such as the "60-day rule" in place to reduce hazards.
The USDA is recommending good hygiene practices at the farm level, including separating milk sick cows, keeping abnormal milk out of the retail supply, and collecting milk from farms with zoonotic diseases in a special stream to minimize pathogen loads in raw milk.