Bird flu near Banbury
Wednesday 4 June 2008
The recent cases of bird flu on premises near Banbury, Oxfordshire, are not an issue for food safety, the Agency said today. Properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, are safe to eat.
Judith Hilton, Food Standards Agency Head of Microbiological Safety, said: 'The recent cases of bird flu pose no safety implications for the human food chain.
'The science shows that the virus isn't contracted by eating food – but usually by close contact with infected birds.'
Agency advice
People should follow the Agency's normal food hygiene advice in relation to handling eggs and raw poultry meat in the kitchen. 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 solid. People at particular risk of salmonella should continue to cook eggs until the yolks are solid. People should also ensure that poultry meat is cooked to the point where the juices run clear and there are no red parts in the meat. The H7 virus, the one found in the birds in Oxfordshire, is destroyed by cooking thoroughly.
The Department of the Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFRA) has lead responsibility within Britain for the control of all animal diseases. Further information on the recent case can be found on the DEFRA website.