The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced plans to test ground beef for bird flu particles as a precautionary measure, despite officials expressing confidence in the safety of the nation's meat supply. This decision comes in light of recent findings of bird flu in nearly three-dozen dairy herds across nine states. The USDA aims to better understand the spread of the virus among livestock through these testing efforts.
Two studies will be conducted to determine the presence of Type A H5N1 bird flu virus particles in beef available for sale in states where infected dairy cows have been identified, as well as in the muscles of dairy cows sent for slaughter. Additionally, a third study will investigate how different cooking temperatures affect the virus using a surrogate for bird flu.
