Bird flu virus fragments have been detected in retail milk samples across the U.S., industry groups told lawmakers on Capitol Hill, according to three people familiar with the matter.
The FDA on Tuesday confirmed “some of the samples collected have indicated the presence” of bird flu “particles” under certain testing, but the agency maintained that “pasteurization is likely to inactivate the virus.” The FDA said it will make additional test results available in the coming days.
The National Milk Producers Federation said in a statement that “viral fragments detected after pasteurization are nothing more than evidence that the virus is dead; they have zero impact on human health.”
Rick Bright, who led the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority and raised alarm about the Trump administration’s early response to the COVID-19 pandemic, said he wants to see the results of the studies conducted. “That’s the data I’d like to know before I drink milk,” Bright said.
As of Tuesday, bird flu has been detected in 33 dairy herds across eight states, according to the latest USDA data.
