Deadly Bird Flu Lurks in FOOD, FDA Exposed

A colorful cheese and fruit platter featuring various cheeses and fresh fruits

A groundbreaking study reveals that deadly bird flu virus can survive in raw-milk cheese for up to four months, exposing dangerous gaps in FDA food safety regulations that put American families at risk.

Story Highlights

H5N1 bird flu virus survives 120 days in raw-milk cheese, far exceeding FDA’s 60-day safety rule
Cornell researchers found infectious virus persists even after mandatory aging period
Current FDA regulations proven inadequate against viral threats in unpasteurized dairy products
Only highly acidic cheeses like feta showed protection against the dangerous pathogen

FDA Safety Rules Fall Short Against Viral Threats

Cornell University researchers published alarming findings in Nature Medicine showing H5N1 avian influenza survives far longer than current food safety protocols account for. The FDA requires raw-milk cheeses to age 60 days at temperatures above 35°F, a rule designed for bacterial pathogens. However, this deadly virus persisted for 120 days in laboratory conditions, demonstrating that federal regulations are woefully outdated and inadequate for protecting consumers from modern viral threats.

Government Oversight Failures Expose Public Health Risks

The study reveals a critical blind spot in federal food safety oversight that has existed for decades. While the FDA’s 60-day aging requirement addresses traditional bacterial concerns, it completely ignores viral contamination risks that have emerged as H5N1 spreads through American dairy cattle. This regulatory failure exemplifies the kind of bureaucratic incompetence that endangers families while agencies collect paychecks for inadequate protection standards.

Research Reveals Startling Virus Persistence

Professor Diego Diel’s Cornell team discovered H5N1 maintains infectious capability in raw-milk cheese made from contaminated milk, particularly in products with higher pH levels. The virus showed remarkable resilience, surviving months of refrigerated storage in solid cheese form. Interestingly, highly acidic varieties like feta cheese showed no detectable virus, suggesting natural acidity provides protection that aging time alone cannot deliver.

Animal testing confirmed the virus remains dangerous throughout its survival period. Ferrets fed contaminated raw milk became infected, though those consuming raw-milk cheese showed no infection, possibly due to reduced viral exposure in solid form. These findings underscore the unpredictable nature of this pathogen and highlight the urgent need for comprehensive safety measures.

Industry and Regulatory Response Needed

The dairy industry faces significant challenges as these findings threaten traditional raw-milk cheese production methods. Researchers recommend immediate implementation of additional safety measures including pasteurization, thermization, or mandatory acidification processes. The Trump administration must prioritize updating these outdated regulations to protect American consumers from preventable foodborne illness risks that previous administrations ignored.

This discovery demands swift regulatory action to prevent potential public health disasters. The persistence of H5N1 in cheese products represents an unacceptable risk that requires immediate federal attention and updated safety protocols that reflect current viral threats rather than decades-old bacterial concerns.