Bird flu seems to be ramping up — the US announced its first human death this week, and the highly contagious virus has spread to all 50 states.
With more than 130 million birds and nearly 1,000 dairy herds affected, you may be wondering if eating poultry, dairy and eggs is safe. Here’s what we know about bird flu and its risk to our food.
What is bird flu?
Type A H5N1 was first detected in 1959 following an outbreak in chickens in Scotland. The current US outbreak began in 2022 and intensified in March 2024, when the first dairy cow infections were reported.
The virus primarily affects domestic poultry and wild birds. A bird that catches it can spread it to many other birds through its saliva, mucus and feces.
Animals like dogs, cats, foxes and leopards can get bird flu from eating the remains of an infected bird or drinking raw milk from infected cows.
Transmission from birds to humans is rare, but it can happen through direct contact with infected birds or cattle or their bodily fluids.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 66 human cases have been recorded since 2024, with California, Washington and Colorado logging the most cases. People who work with birds, poultry or cows are at higher risk.
The Louisiana patient who recently died was exposed to sick and dead birds in a backyard flock, according to the Louisiana Department of Health.
There is no evidence the virus can spread between humans.
How can bird flu affect food production?
Bird flu has caused egg production to drop, leading to shortages and soaring prices.
Research shows that bird flu outbreaks tend to affect the price of eggs more than the cost of chickens and turkeys.
Over the last year, many states restricted imports of dairy cattle from states where the virus was detected. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said there are only two states — California and Texas — with active detections in dairy cattle.
As for milk, 28 states representing nearly 65% of the nation’s milk production are enrolled in the USDA’s program to detect bird flu. Nearly all commercial milk in the US is pasteurized, which means that it is heated to a very high temperature to kill harmful bacteria and viruses.
Can you get bird flu from eating chicken and eggs?
The CDC said there is no evidence that anyone in the US has gotten infected with bird flu from eating properly handled and cooked poultry products.
To safely prepare meat and eggs:
- Thoroughly wash hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat and eggs.
- Separate raw meat and eggs from other foods.
- Cook poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit to kill bacteria and viruses.
- Cook ground beef to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit and whole cuts of beef to 145 degrees Fahrenheit before resting them for three minutes.
- Wash your cutting board, dishes, utensils and countertops with hot, soapy water after cutting meat.
- Refrigerate eggs at a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below to prevent bacterial growth.
- Pasteurization kills bacteria and viruses, so beware raw milk and products made from raw milk.
