The spread of the H5N1 bird flu virus has set off all the alarm bells. In recent days, the WHO has warned of the largest outbreak in cats recorded in the world and reported on the rest of affected mammal species: a total of 42. Today, in addition, a case of avian flu has been reported in a common tern in Arenys de Mar (Barcelona).
Given this information, many people may be concerned that the virus affects animals for regular consumption, such as chicken, and that it ends up infecting humans. But the doctor in Food Science and Technology, Miguel Ángel Lurueña, calls for calm. “The animals undergo several controls so that they do not reach the distribution channels sick,” he explains.
If cases begin to occur in chickens or other birds, slaughterhouses are obliged to slaughter them. “They cannot sell the meat or by-products, such as eggs, of the affected animal,” he says. And if the virus were not detected at this stage, the food would also be analyzed later.
At the moment there is no evidence that the H5N1 virus could pose a danger to people, although international organizations do not rule out that this pathogen ends up mutating and ask for collaboration between countries.
According to the Ministry of Health, bird flu can be transmitted to humans in very exceptional cases. For this to happen, there has to be very close contact with the sick animal, such as exposure to infected birds in poultry yards, farms, or animal markets. And, despite this, the number of those affected continues to be very small.
In the case of having birds at home, if the animal stops eating, has respiratory problems or dies suddenly, it may indicate that it has the virus. If we observe any of these signs, we must notify the local or national health department so that they can take samples and study what is happening.
Getting infected through food intake is difficult, but Lurueña insists that the consumer has the responsibility to handle their meat properly. “Cooking chicken and eggs well (over 170°F) ensures that pathogens are killed.” This recommendation is valid for both viruses and bacteria, which proliferate faster in food in summer. Viruses, on the other hand, cannot reproduce on their own.
The food safety expert also insists on the importance of washing hands at all times, cleaning utensils and separating ready-to-eat products from raw ones. Likewise, he advises against leaving foods that require refrigeration out of the fridge for too long.
