Bird flu virus particles were found in tissue samples taken from one dairy cow sent to slaughter at a U.S. meat processing plant, but none were detected in samples from 95 other cattle, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Friday.
Meat from the animals was prevented from entering the nation’s food supply, the USDA said.
Officials have intensified testing of meat, dairy, and livestock as bird flu outbreak expands in dairy cattle.
Two U.S. dairy workers have tested positive for bird flu since the virus was first detected in cattle in late March.
Older dairy cows are often processed for hamburger. The USDA’s testing results come at the start of peak U.S. grilling season around the U.S. Memorial Day weekend.
The USDA has tested 96 out of 109 beef tissue samples as part of a meat safety study.
Tissue samples were collected from condemned dairy cattle at slaughterhouses and analyzed using PCR testing, the agency reported. USDA clarified that the testing doesn’t distinguish between live virus and fragments.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration previously said it found viral particles in pasteurized milk samples from retail stores, but they did not contain live virus. The FDA has warned against consuming raw, unpasteurized milk.
USDA personnel identified signs of illness in the positive cow during a routine post-mortem inspection and prevented its meat from entering the food supply, according to the USDA.
Moreover, the USDA’s confirmation of bird flu in the dairy cow highlights the need for proactive measures.
Furthermore, the USDA’s response emphasizes the importance of collaboration between government agencies and industry stakeholders.
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