As farms throughout California battle chicken flu outbreaks, chances are you’ll be questioning: Is your Christmas dinner suitable for eating?
Since extremely pathogenic avian influenza surfaced in america in January 2022, the virus has been detected in wild birds and home poultry, in response to the Fresno Bee’s earlier reporting.
Greater than 4 million chickens and turkeys have been killed at poultry ranches throughout the state in an try and cease the virus from spreading.
In the meantime, practically 1 / 4 of the state’s 1,100 dairies have been being quarantined resulting from chicken flu, together with Uncooked Farm dairy in Fresno County, prompting recollects of uncooked milk.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Wednesday, Dec. 18, in response to the spike in avian flu instances, the identical day the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management confirmed an individual in Louisiana had been hospitalized with a ‘‘severe’’ case of the illness.
The Fresno Bee talked to Jesus Garcia, public affairs specialist with the U.S. Division of Agriculture’s Meals Security and Inspection Service, to be taught extra concerning the virus and the way it impacts meals security.
What’s chicken flu?
In keeping with the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration, extremely pathogenic avian influenza — often known as chicken flu or H5N1 — is a extremely contagious and sometimes lethal illness primarily present in poultry.
It’s “caused by highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5) and A (H7) viruses,” the company mentioned on its web site.
HPAI can unfold from wild birds to home poultry and different animals. The virus may infect people in uncommon instances.
How is avian flu unfold to people?
Not like seasonal influenza viruses, that are sometimes contracted by means of human-to-human transmission, avian influenza viruses are unfold by contaminated birds by means of saliva, mucus and feces, in response to the CDC.
The virus will also be current within the respiratory secretions, organs, blood, or physique fluids of different contaminated animals — together with milk.
Human infections happen when the virus enters the eyes, nostril or mouth, or is inhaled by means of airborne droplets, aerosol particles or mud. It will also be transmitted by touching contaminated surfaces after which touching the face.
“Illness in humans from avian influenza virus infections have ranged in severity from no symptoms or mild illness to severe disease that resulted in death,” the CDC mentioned.
Can I get chicken flu from consuming turkey?
“Consumers can safely enjoy turkey this holiday season,” the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration wrote in an e-mail to The Bee, noting that meals security inspectors study turkeys for illness “before and after slaughter.”
That features your Christmas chicken.
“The turkeys from farms with confirmed avian influenza don’t even get sent to slaughter,” Soledad mentioned. “They are destroyed on premises.”
Throughout an avian flu outbreak, “The chance of infected poultry or eggs entering the food chain is low,” the FDA mentioned on its web site in April, “because of the rapid onset of symptoms in poultry as well as the safeguards in place, which include testing of flocks and federal inspection programs.”
“When food is properly prepared and stored, the risk of consumers becoming infected with HPAI is reduced even further,” the FDA mentioned.
What about ham?
In keeping with the USDA, ham is protected to devour this vacation season.
“All pigs presented for slaughter are observed to ensure they are healthy, then their carcasses and organs are again inspected for any signs of illness, and finally, the final processed product receives a stamp of approval,” the company mentioned in an emailed assertion. “All these assurances happen before the meat goes into the retail market.”
“Highly pathogenic avian influenza … has not been found in commercial pigs,” the USDA mentioned.
What’s the most secure solution to put together turkey?
UC Davis professor Linda J. Harris, who focuses on microbial meals security, says you must put together your turkey utilizing 4 important steps: clear, prepare dinner, chill and separate.
- Clear: Wash your fingers, wash utensils and surfaces after every use. Wash vegatables and fruits.
- Cook dinner: Meals is safely cooked when the inner temperature is excessive sufficient to kill germs that may make you sick.
- Chill: Refrigerate perishable meals inside two hours.
- Separate: Use separate chopping boards and plates for produce, meat, poultry, seafood and eggs.
You possibly can watch the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration’s Vacation Meals Security video for recommendations on the best way to put together a turkey the protected means, or try the turkey recipe developed by the Partnership for Meals Security Training, a nonprofit group that works to scale back food-borne sickness dangers.
In keeping with the USDA, any traces of extremely pathogenic avian influenza in your turkey are inactivated when meals reaches an inside temperature of 165 levels.
The USDA recommends following this rule anytime you’re getting ready uncooked poultry, together with hen.
On its meals security web site, the USDA has movies and data together with calculators that make it easier to decide how lengthy to thaw and prepare dinner your turkey.
What’s the most secure solution to put together ham?
To find out the most secure solution to put together ham, begin by checking the bundle for directions, together with whether or not the ham is able to eat or nonetheless must be cooked.
Uncooked hams needs to be cooked till the inner temperature reaches a minimum of 145 diploma and let it relaxation for a minimum of three minutes, Garcia mentioned.
“This temperature will inactivate the virus,” the USDA mentioned in its assertion.
Prepared-to-eat hams, together with “cooked vacuum-packaged hams packaged in federally inspected plants and canned hams can be eaten cold just as they come from their packaging,” Garcia mentioned.
“If you want to reheat these cooked hams,” he added, “set the oven no lower than 325 degrees and heat to an internal temperature of 165 degrees as measured with a food thermometer.”
If you happen to’re planning to go away the ham out for a number of hours, ensure to maintain it out of the “Danger Zone” — temperatures between 40 levels and 140 levels, Garcia mentioned.
You possibly can hold meals chilly by preserving dishes in bowls of ice. Trays of sizzling meals could be stored within the oven or heated utilizing warming trays, chafing dishes or gradual cookers.
When perishable meals is stored with out warmth or chilly sources for too lengthy, micro organism multiplies to ranges which might be unsafe, he mentioned. This could trigger food-borne sickness.
In keeping with Garcia, ham needs to be discarded if ignored for longer than two hours within the Hazard Zone.
The USDA’s meals security web site has info for the best way to prepare dinner safely and retailer ham. You may also name the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854.
What about leftovers?
Garcia recommends inserting leftovers in small containers inside two hours after being served.
“Make sure to carve your ham into small portions so portions can chill quickly when stored in the refrigerator,” Garcia mentioned. “Ham can safely remain in the refrigerator for up to four days.”
After that, he added, you will need to eat, throw away or freeze your leftovers.
Reheat all leftovers to 165 levels.
Can I get chicken flu by ingesting or cooking with milk?
“There is no evidence that the virus can be transmitted to humans through properly prepared food,” the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration mentioned on its web site.
Pasteurized milk and different dairy merchandise are protected to devour and prepare dinner with, in response to Hebah Ghanem, infectious illness specialist at College of California San Francisco, Fresno.
“The most important thing that it has to be pasteurized, because the virus is killed with heat,” Ghanem informed The Bee.
Will consuming eggs make me sick?
All egg merchandise are pasteurized as required by the U.S. Division of Agriculture.
“This means that they have been rapidly heated and held at a minimum required temperature for a specified time to destroy bacteria,” the company mentioned.
Nonetheless, eggs which might be nonetheless of their shells aren’t required to be pasteurized, resulting in potential well being dangers if eaten uncooked or raw.
What are avian flu signs?
In keeping with the CDC, avian flu signs in people could embody:
- Fever or feeling feverish or chills
- Eye redness or irritation
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuff nostril
- Muscle or physique aches
- Complications
- Tiredness
What’s one of the best ways to keep away from the virus?
To stop the unfold of extremely pathogenic avian influenza, individuals ought to keep away from publicity to lifeless animals, Ghanem beforehand informed The Bee. That features wild birds, poultry, different domesticated birds and cows.
Individuals must also keep away from publicity to animal feces in addition to fluids.
Listed below are different suggestions from Ghanem:
- Wash your fingers
- Keep away from contaminated surfaces and some other materials that has been touched or is near the contaminated animal
- Don’t drink uncooked milk.
- Eat pasteurized cheese.
- Monitor your self for signs
- Get the flu vaccine
©2024 The Sacramento Bee. Go to sacbee.com. Distributed by Tribune Content material Company, LLC.
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