A study from Cornell University, funded by the US Food and Drug Administration, reveals chilling findings about raw cheese made with milk from bird flu-infected dairy cattle. This cheese harbors the virus for months, potentially posing a risk to public health.
Unlike pasteurized cheeses, raw milk cheeses aren’t heat-treated to eliminate germs. Though federal law prohibits raw milk sales across state lines, raw milk cheese is legal nationwide if aged for 60 days. This aging process was thought to reduce contamination risks by allowing natural acids and enzymes to destroy pathogens.
The new study challenges this belief, showing that H5N1 virus may remain active despite cheese aging, highlighting the dangers of consuming raw foods during ongoing bird flu outbreaks.
Dr. Diego Diel, who led the study, suggests the virus’s stability is due to its protection within the cheese’s matrix of proteins and fats — a cozy environment that shelters it even at low temperatures.
During the study, mini cheeses were made with spiked milk at varying acidity levels. Remarkably, the virus remained infectious throughout the aging period, illustrating its persistence.
While reports of human infection via consumption are nonexistent, this study underscores the necessity of heightened surveillance. One potential safeguard could be making cheese more acidic, a method suggested to kill the virus.
Experts reinforce the advice to steer clear of raw milk products, emphasizing that pasteurization is effective in eliminating the virus and ensuring consumer safety.
Vocabulary List:
- Harbors /ˈhɑːrbərz/ (verb): To hold or contain a virus or organism.
- Contamination /kənˌtæmɪˈneɪʃən/ (noun): The action or state of making something impure by exposure to or addition of a poisonous or polluting substance.
- Pathogens /ˈpæθəˌdʒɛn/ (noun): Microorganisms that can cause disease.
- Infectious /ɪnˈfɛkʃəs/ (adjective): Capable of causing infection or disease.
- Surveillance /sɜːrˈveɪləns/ (noun): Close observation especially of a suspected spy or criminal.
- Pasteurization /ˌpæstəraɪˈzeɪʃən/ (noun): The process of heating food and beverages to kill harmful bacteria.
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