USDA Testing Ground Beef for Bird Flu in States with Infected Dairy Cows

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is collecting samples of ground beef at retail stores in states with outbreaks of bird flu in dairy cows for testing, but remains confident the meat supply is safe. The USDA will analyze the ground beef with PCR tests to determine if any viral particles are present, as some dairy cows are processed into ground beef when they grow old.

The agency is also conducting a study using a "virus surrogate" in ground beef to determine how the virus is affected by cooking at different temperatures. Additionally, the USDA is collecting beef muscle samples at slaughter facilities of dairy cattle that have been condemned to check for the presence of viral particles.

There are no known cases of bird flu in beef cattle so far, and the USDA says cooking meat to a safe internal temperature kills bacteria and viruses. The USDA has also begun requiring lactating dairy cows to test negative for bird flu before being shipped across state lines to contain the outbreak.

Why this matters: The testing of ground beef for bird flu is a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of the U.S. meat supply. It highlights the potential risks posed by the spread of avian influenza to livestock and the need for ongoing surveillance and containment efforts.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has stated that tests of milk showed pasteurization killed the bird flu virus, as Colorado became the ninth U.S. state to report an infected dairy herd in April 2024. Colombia has restricted the import of beef and beef products from U.S. states where dairy cows have tested positive for avian influenza.

"Pasteurization has been shown to be effective in inactivating the virus," the USDA said in a statement. The agency will cover the cost of testing dairy cattle for the virus, with the goal of preventing its spread and learning more about how it spreads between animals.

Key Takeaways

• USDA testing ground beef for bird flu as precaution, no cases in beef cattle yet.
• Studying how cooking affects virus, collecting beef samples from condemned dairy cows.
• Requiring dairy cows to test negative before interstate transport to contain outbreak.
• FDA says pasteurization kills bird flu virus, 9 U.S. states report infected dairy herds.
• Colombia restricts U.S. beef imports from states with bird flu in dairy cows.