FDA Tests 300 Samples of Aged Raw Milk Cheese Nationwide for H5N1 Bird Flu Amid 66 Human Cases

Dec 31, 2024, 11:56 PM

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has initiated a nationwide testing program for bird flu in aged raw cow's milk cheese, starting on December 23, 2024. The agency plans to collect 300 samples of cheese aged for at least 60 days from warehouses and distribution centers across the country, using a PCR test to detect the H5N1 virus. This effort is part of a broader investigation into an outbreak of avian influenza A (H5N1), which has affected 66 people and spread to poultry in all 50 states and dairy cows in 16 states. The testing aims to ensure public health safety, with positive samples undergoing viability testing by injecting part of the virus into an embryonated egg to check for growth. The FDA's actions follow a federal order by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to test the national milk supply for bird flu. The agency has previously warned about the dangers of raw milk, which does not undergo pasteurization, a process that kills viruses and bacteria and is used in 99% of the commercial milk supply in the U.S.