The U.S. government says it will begin testing samples of ground beef at stores in states with outbreaks of bird flu in dairy cows.

Federal officials are looking to verify the safety of beef and milk after 34 dairy cattle herds in nine states and one person in Texas tested positive for the H5N1 virus since late March.

Although testing is ongoing, the overall public health risk is low, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization said. But those who were exposed to infected animals are at a higher risk.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture "is confident that the meat supply is safe," agency spokesperson Shilo Weir told USA TODAY in an email Tuesday. The agency's "rigorous meat inspection process" involves having veterinarians "at all federal livestock slaughter facilities," Weird said.

Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said that fragments of the virus were found in samples of pasteurized milk, but officials weren't concerned about danger to humans from drinking store-bought milk.

The milk that tested positive came from a limited number of tests that were done on milk from grocery stores. Now the FDA is conducting further analysis and teaming up with the USDA, the CDC and other state partners to investigate further.

Here's what consumers should know about the virus.

Why are officials testing ground beef?

While there's no known case of bird flu virus being found in ground beef, the USDA will begin testing ground beef at stores in states where dairy cows have been found to have bird flu. The samples will be analyzed by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service using tests that detect "whether any viral particles are present," the agency said.

Two other safety studies will be conducted, as well, because some dairy cows are processed into ground beef when they grow old. The Food Safety and Inspection Service will collect muscle samples from dairy cattle being at slaughter facilities, and those samples will also undergo tests.

The agency will do additional testing for live virus on any positive tests from muscle samples and retail ground beef, and do cooking studies of ground beef to determine what temperatures are needed to kill the virus, the USDA says.

Can you get bird flu from drinking infected milk at grocery stores?

Officials previously told USA TODAY that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or HPAI, was present, the pasteurization process works to inactivate viruses and that results don't indicate that the virus is infectious.

"To date, we have seen nothing that would change our assessment that the commercial milk supply is safe," said the USDA in a statement.

What is pasteurization?

According to the USDA, it is the process that "kills harmful bacteria and viruses by heating milk to a specific temperature for a set period of time to make milk safer."

If the virus is detected in unpasteurized milk, the USDA expects the process will still "eliminate pathogens" so it doesn't pose a risk to people's health.

The FDA requires that anything labeled and sold as milk across state borders must be pasteurized, the CDC says

Which states are affected?

Nine states have confirmed cases of the virus in dairy cows, the USDA says.

  • Colorado
  • Idaho
  • Kansas
  • Michigan
  • New Mexico
  • North Carolina
  • Ohio
  • South Dakota
  • Texas

Is it safe to eat eggs and chicken because of bird flu concerns?

You should avoid foods such as unpasteurized milk, cheeses made from unpasteurized milk, and raw and undercooked eggs, poultry, and meat, said Barbara Kowalcyk, associate professor of exercise and nutrition sciences at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health.

Those foods and fish can carry foodborne pathogens – bacteria, viruses, parasites, toxins – that can make people ill, she said.

"Be sure to cook raw meat, poultry, fish, eggs and milk thoroughly before feeding them to yourself or your family," Kowalcyk said. "Color and consistency are not good indicators of doneness so it is best to use a digital, tip-sensitive food thermometer."

Check for recommended food temperatures on the Department of Health and Human Services website.

"It is also recommended that people avoid direct contact with infected live or dead animals or surfaces contaminated by them," Kowalcyk said. "It is advised to use personal protective equipment if you must come in contact with infected live or dead animals."

Contributing: Emily DeLetter and Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY; Colleen Kottke, Wisconsin State Farmer;  Tom Polansek, Reuters

Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. She has covered various topics, from local businesses and government in her hometown, Miami, to tech and pop culture. You can follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz

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