Remnants of Bird Flu Virus Found in Pasteurized Milk, FDA Says

(NEWSnet/AP) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday samples of pasteurized milk tested positive for remnants of the bird flu virus that has infected dairy cows.

The agency said the material is inactivated and findings “do not represent actual virus that may be a risk to consumers.”

“We have seen nothing that would change our assessment that the commercial milk supply is safe,” FDA said.

FDA officials didn't indicate how many samples were tested or where they were obtained. The agency has evaluated milk during processing and from grocery stores, officials said. Results of additional tests are expected.

The PCR lab test would have detected viral genetic material even after the live virus was killed by pasteurization, said Lee-Ann Jaykus, emeritus food microbiologist and virologist at North Carolina State University.

“There is no evidence to date that this is infectious virus and FDA is following up on that,” Jaykus said.

In March, an avian influenza virus was detected in dairy cows in at least eight states, U.S. Department of Agriculture said.

Officials with FDA and USDA previously have said milk from affected cattle did not enter the commercial supply. 

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