FDA Studies Confirm Safety of Pasteurized Milk
MANHATTAN,
Kansas — The Kansas Department of Agriculture has been actively working with
the Kansas dairy industry to respond to the nationwide concerns due to the
discovery of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in dairy cattle. KDA has
also been closely following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's testing of the
commercial milk supply, which on Friday confirmed the effectiveness of the
pasteurization process.
The
KDA Division of Animal Health is helping dairies and veterinarians to understand
and comply with the Federal Order from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal
and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA–APHIS) which took effect on Monday,
April 29, 2024. The order requires lactating dairy cattle to receive a negative
test for the virus prior to interstate movement. It also requires laboratories
and state veterinarians to report positive results to USDA–APHIS.
These
measures were instituted in an effort to further protect the U.S. livestock
industry from the threat posed by HPAI. The Federal Order came two days after
the Kansas Animal Health Commissioner, Dr. Justin Smith, issued a state order that
expanded requirements for interstate or intrastate movement of lactating dairy cattle
to include a recent health certificate (CVI).
In
March, KDA announced that HPAI was identified in two commercial dairy herds,
and early April there were two additional herds in Kansas that reported
positive tests. Data appears to indicate that the virus is no longer present
after 21-30 days, which has already passed for the positive Kansas herds.
Farmers
and ranchers in Kansas have been advised to practice good biosecurity measures
to protect their susceptible animals from being exposed to HPAI. This includes limiting
movement of vehicles and visitors on and off the premises, separating domestic
and wild animals as much as possible, minimizing movement of cattle, and monitoring
animals for clinical signs of HPAI.
On
Friday, the FDA reaffirmed its confidence that the commercial milk supply is
safe. Their national commercial milk sampling study conducted over the last few
weeks confirmed that pasteurization is effective in inactivating HPAI in milk. The
pasteurization process of heating milk to a high temperature ensures milk and
dairy products can be safely consumed. In line with long-standing policy, the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend consuming unpasteurized
milk or raw milk. Dairies are also required to only allow milk from healthy
animals to enter the food supply chain.
Updates on HPAI in Kansas, including the Commissioner’s Order
issued on April 22, can be found on the KDA Division of Animal Health webpage
dedicated to HPAI detections in livestock: www.agriculture.ks.gov/HPAI-Livestock. This page also provides a link to the USDA’s
HPAI in Livestock webpage, which provides a variety of resources to assist
livestock owners, a link to the Federal Order and affiliated guidance documents,
and an ongoing report on confirmed cases in affected states across the U.S.
The
Kansas Department of Agriculture is dedicated to serving Kansas farmers,
ranchers, agribusinesses and the consumers/customers they serve while promoting
public health and safety, protecting animal health, and providing consumer
protection and food safety to the best of our ability.