It’s not a burger anyone would want at their Memorial Day barbecue, but federal health researchers tested a virus-filled patty this week, injecting it with a strain of bird flu. Under controlled lab conditions, the ground beef was cooked on a grill to encourage consumers to cook their burgers longer amid the ongoing bird flu outbreak.
The tests showed that cooking ground beef to at least medium, with an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit, made it safe. Grilling bird flu-infected patties at this temperature killed the H5N1 avian influenza virus. However, in patties cooked at lower temperatures, such as medium-rare at 120 degrees, the virus remained in small amounts, officials announced at a news conference Thursday.
Officials emphasized that beef is safe when cooked thoroughly. National samples of beef did not show traces of the virus.
“There’s no need to change any safe meat handling or cooking practices,” said Dr. Eric Deeble, acting senior adviser for bird flu at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA has long recommended cooking ground meat to an internal temperature of 160 degrees, which is well done.
These findings were part of a scientific effort to understand how bird flu could enter the food supply. The lab tested ground beef from various U.S. locations, injecting it with the virus and then cooking it.
Containing Bird Flu Spread in Cattle
After a Texas farm worker tested positive for bird flu in March, officials started efforts to contain the disease. This was the second U.S. case, following an infection in a Colorado prison inmate in 2022. Health officials believe the risk to human health is low.
Bird flu likely spread from wild birds to cattle in the Texas Panhandle in late 2023, according to Dr. Rosemary Sifford, USDA’s chief veterinary officer. Since then, officials have worked to limit herd movements to prevent further spread, with the virus affecting 46 herds across nine states. Testing continues at farms nationwide. Deeble mentioned that bird flu could spread between cows via dairy production tools, such as towels, wipes, spray bottles, and milking heads.
In early May, USDA announced that all 30 retail ground beef samples from states with affected dairy herds tested negative for bird flu, indicating the meat supply remains safe. Additional research is examining if the virus is present in beef muscle from slaughtered dairy cows with respiratory symptoms. Results are pending.
Officials also addressed misconceptions about raw milk. They reiterated that pasteurization, which heats milk to kill pathogens like H5N1, is crucial. Raw milk does not protect against the virus.
Dr. Nirav Shah, principal deputy director at the CDC, stressed that consuming raw milk does not build immunity to bird flu and advised against it.
The USDA also announced a $22.2 million investment in research for preparedness, early detection, and rapid response to livestock diseases.
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