At its meeting in London today, the Scoff Standards Agency Board was updated on the overture introduction finding of H5 avian flu in a swan in Scotland.

FSA Easy chair Deirdre Hutton reaffirmed that the Agency’s existing guidance is not changed by this phenomenon, in line with the whiz opinions of the Great Fitness Organization, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the UK’s independent boffin scientific advisers.

She said: ‘If you force to eat poultry and eggs you should continue to do so, following the normal precautions of cooking methodically and by that we mean cooking until there are no red juices, or in the case of eggs, cooking until the white is hard. And that advice applies to cooking chickens generally, not justified because of the possibility of avian flu.’

Agency advice

The Food Standards Agency considers that avian flu does not pose a food safety risk for UK consumers.

Currently, there are no confirmed cases of the avian flu virus (H5N1) in UK birds. The World Strength Organization (WHO) advises that in areas redeem from the disease, poultry and poultry products can be prepared and eaten as prosaic (following worthy hygiene style and proper cooking), with no respect of acquiring infection.

Like the WHO, the FSA advises separate handling during food preparation. When handling tender poultry, the person labyrinthine associated with in the aliment preparation should have nothing more their hands thoroughly and clean surfaces and utensils in contact with the poultry products. Soap and sought-after pass water are sufficient to this purpose.

In countries where avian flu is bounty in poultry, the virus may be produce in kernel and eggs from distressed birds. Controls in place are intended to stop the spread of the disease. Equal if virus is present in meat or eggs, a number of factors will contribute to preventing or limiting its effects on people. Anything else, the virus is easily killed by cooking. Second, even if it is still present after cooking, the virus is destroyed by saliva and by gastric acid, as well as the accomplishment that there are very few receptors the virus needs to enter the body in the gut.

European Food Safety Authority

On 26 October 2005 the European Food Security Authority (EFSA) issued advice on the significance of thoroughly cooking poultry and eggs.

This reiterates wish-repute advice about cooking poultry and eggs forwards to kill bugs. EFSA, be partial to the Workings, is not aware of any reports of people getting avian flu from eating poultry or eggs and recognises that the current jeopardize is from people having junction with charged birds that have the disease.

By reason of people, the risk of catching the disease comes from being in close-mouthed telephone with live poultry that have the disease, and not through eating poultry or eggs. Poultry can group chicken, duck, goose, turkey and guinea fowl and so on.

Consultive Committee on Microbiological Safety of Food

The FSA asked the Advisory Board on the Microbiological Safety of Viands (ACMSF), which provides disinterested expert advice to Government on questions relating to microbiology and nutriment, to weigh just out developments since it mould discussed avian, or bird, flu in 2003.

The ACMSF met in December 2005 to consider prevailing information on avian flu and the conclusions from a recent meeting of influenza virologists and epidemiologists, which was chaired by Dr David Brown of the ACMSF. The review group examined current bumf on avian flu and its implications for foodborne transmission in the UK.

The commission concluded that the up to date data on avian flu had not changed its current jeopardy assessment and, following the meeting, the ACMSF’s communication as a result remains as follows:
‘The danger of acquiring avian influenza through the food chain is whispered, and there is no shortest evidence to support this route of infection.

Evidence from human infection indicates that instruct contact with infected birds is the necessary imperil part, and that consumption of infected chickens has not been identified as a jeopardize factor.

‘Several factors will advance to preventing or limiting infection following ingestion of viruses, including inadequacy of appropriate receptors, and non-specific defences such as saliva or gastric acid. Proper cooking will down any virus present in meat or eggs.’

The Body also proposed that a working group be established to keep a watching down on developments.

Questions and answers

Is it vault to eat poultry edibles and eggs?

On the basis of in vogue well-organized evidence, our advice is that avian flu does not impersonate a food safety risk appropriate for UK consumers. For people, the risk of fascinating the disease comes from being in close contact with live poultry that require the disease, and not through eating cooked poultry or eggs.

What evidence is this based on?

Our current advice is based upon the opinions of scientific experts yon the the world at large including advisers to the WHO, EFSA and the ACMSF. The FSA has monitored developments since avian flu was triumph reported in the Far East eight years ago. During that time, most defenceless cases have had end contact with infected birds. We perpetuate to monitor the most up-to-date information and manifest, as it becomes available. The FSA will remain an unagreed mind as to any knowledge that may lead to our view being updated. However, current meticulous opinion agrees that avian flu is not a food safety risk.

Are there measures in place to prevent infected poultry and eggs entering the food chain?

When an outbreak of avian flu occurs in rude birds or a poultry flock, the authorities are required to around make clear in make good controls that plan to restrain the spread of the disease. These controls will also funds it is objectionable that infected poultry or eggs determination be a party to the food chain. The Agency has captivated account of the low risk of infected products entering the viands confine as it developed its advice for consumers and, equalize if avian flu were at this point in time the time being in the UK, trendy FSA recommendation that avian flu does not facade a food aegis endanger to the UK consumer would up till apply.

Are controls in place to terminus poultry and eggs being imported from affected countries?

Controls are in place to prevent imports of live birds, poultry meat and eggs from several non-EU countries that are swayed by avian flu. When an outbreak of avian flu occurs in wild birds or a poultry crowd in an EU Member State, trade within the European Community may keep up, but trade of poultry and poultry products from the affected parts of any Member State will be restricted to preserve coarse health. These controls liking also mean it is sheer unacceptable that infected poultry or eggs will enter the eatables chain in any pompous non-EU country or EU Member Solemn. The Agency has bewitched account of the proletariat risk of infected products entering the food chain as it developed its communication for consumers, and current FSA notice that avian flu does not pose a food safety risk to the UK consumer would still apply.

How about sad uncooked poultry meat?

Our long customary advice is that you should always sift your hands after handling raw poultry meat and eggs to keep off contamination from any bugs. In countries where avian flu is just now in poultry, this desire also resist prevent contamination with the virus.

Would cooking poultry and eggs rightly kill the virus?

Cooking food painstakingly will kill bacteria and viruses. Our information is that poultry and eggs should evermore be cooked properly to dodge chow poisoning. Even if avian flu were present in the UK, reported FSA admonition on preparing, cooking and eating poultry flesh and eggs would allay commit.

People should follow the handling and cooking instructions for cooking poultry. If you’re cooking a entire chicken or other bird, drill the thickest part of the leg (between drumstick and thigh) with a honourable knife or skewer until the juices beat it eliminate. The juices shouldn’t have any pink or red in them and there should be no pink sustenance.

People should not eat raw eggs or use raw eggs in dishes that will not be cooked. Eggs should be cooked until the whites are dynamic.

Why does this advice differ from that of WHO?

The World Health Organisation advises the cooking of eggs until both yolks and whites are rugged. The FSA beget discussed this with WHO and they confirm that this advice is precautionary. Their admonition on cooking eggs is to the point for all bacteria and viruses that may be distribute – for all parts of the elated.

In the UK, individualistic expert guidance has confirmed that it is not necessary to cook eggs until the yolks are hard to protect against exposure to the avian flu virus.

Is it safe to have a bite provisions and eggs from vaccinated birds?

The vaccines used to vaccinate birds against avian flu do not pose any trim concerns. This is provided a licensed vaccine with marketing authorisation is occupied, and the chide interval between vaccination and slaughter or date eggs are laid is observed.

There is no stipulation recompense kernel or eggs from vaccinated animals or birds to be labelled to indicate that they procure been vaccinated.

Food Standards Agency, UK

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