Teachable moment - UK poultry

[Thornton]

Re: post #1 http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16353

By Jeremy Laurance and Colin Brown

Published: 10 February 2007

The avian flu virus that led to the culling of 160,000 birds on a Bernard Matthews turkey farm may have entered the human food supply, Government food safety experts admitted yesterday.

The FSA confirmed it was investigating but said it had no plans at present to recall turkey products. A spokesman said: "Even if infected poultry had entered the food chain, and we don't know that yet, it is not a human health risk. There is not one case round the world in which humans have contracted the disease from eating infected meat."

The Food Standards Agency insists that it is. We do not know for sure that infected meat is on the supermarket shelves. Even if it is, infected poultry "is not a human health risk" when consumed, the agency says.

The virus is transmitted from bird to bird through infected faeces and the gut. That cannot happen in humans - we lack the necessary receptors for the virus in our gut. Humans have only been infected - 271 of them worldwide of whom 165 have died - through the respiratory system, when an airborne version of the virus was breathed in while plucking or gutting a bird. That requires prolonged close contact.

The reporter and unnamed FSA spokesperson may want to clarify their facts and statements in conjunction with the published health guidelines.

http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/avian_faqs/en/index.html#poultry
from the World Health Organization -Is it safe to eat poultry and poultry products?

Avian influenza is not transmitted through cooked food. To date, no evidence indicates that anyone has become infected following the consumption of properly cooked poultry or poultry products, even when these foods were contaminated with the H5N1 virus.

Consumers should also be aware of the risk of cross-contamination. Juices from raw poultry and poultry products should never be allowed, during food preparation, to touch or mix with items eaten raw. When handling raw poultry or raw poultry products, persons involved in food preparation should wash their hands thoroughly and clean and disinfect surfaces in contact with the poultry products Soap and hot water are sufficient for this purpose.

The global poultry industry is going to lose a lot of credibility (and money) if they don't get out front with good facts and recommendations. Maybe the US poultry industry could help out their UK counterparts by getting out credible health information. If uncertain they can consult the FDA.

http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/avfluqa.html

Cooking poultry, eggs, and other poultry products to the proper temperature and preventing cross-contamination between raw and cooked food is the key to safety. You should follow the same handling practices that are recommended to prevent illness from common foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella:

The difference in the two approaches is in how one is to deal with low probability, high consequence. Do you deny the risk, or do you provide information so that individuals may make decisions on how to protect themselves?
JT

 

[Mellie]

Re: Teachable moment - UK poultry

Excellent points!

Mellie

 

[colormyquilt]

Re: Teachable moment - UK poultry

In connecting to the international BBC news site, there is a section/ link where UK residents (actually anyone) can comment on the BM England situation. It is interesting- in that many from the area seem to indicate a lack of/ not being aware of information/ communication that could assist in making informed decisions.