Contrary to what has been observed in the United States in recent months, Canadian milk does not contain fragments of the H1N5 virus responsible for bird flu.
Analyses by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) have shown that none of the 600 milk samples sold in retail stores on Canadian soil contain particles of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
In early May, the Canadian government announced the introduction of additional protective measures against HPAI. This decision was made in the wake of revelations about American milk, a large proportion of which was infected with the virus.
“Negative results indicate that HPAI virus fragments are not found in milk,” it continues Canadian government website. These results therefore support the absence of the virus in Canadian dairy cows. »
Since late March, the H5N1 virus has been detected in several cattle herds in the United States and cases have also been reported in humans.
Pasteurization to the rescue
CFIA laboratories have also been conducting a study since last May to ensure the effectiveness of pasteurization against the HPAI virus in milk.
Thus, pasteurization treatments have been shown to “effectively inactivate the high concentrations of the virus added to raw milk.”
According to the CFIA, these data should provide reassurance about the safety of the milk supply in Canada, even if the virus is discovered in the territory.
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