The threat of bird flu has dominated public health discourse as cases become more widespread and serious. H5N1, a highly pathogenic strain, was present on several continents as early as 1996. Since reaching North America in late 2021, this strain has impacted wildlife, commercial livestock, and humans. This week only, the first fatal human case of H5N1 was reported in Louisiana: a person over the age of 65 who was exposed to a flock of birds and wildfowl in their backyard.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified that the first 46 cases recorded in the country in 2024 were all mild and, except for one, all caused by exposure to infected animals. Health experts still maintain that the current risk to public health is lowbut consumers are rightly concerned about the impact of this strain of bird flu on the foods we eat.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced in March 2024 that H5N1 has started to affect dairy cattle in a few states. Since then, outbreaks among cattle have continued in 16 states and spread to dozens of humans, prompting California Governor Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency. The importance of H5N1 is even more evident among commercial poultry, where cases have been identified in all 50 states.
But what impact will all this have on the eggs and poultry we eat? is it really safe to continue consuming these products? We break down everything we know so far.
How has H5N1 already impacted our food supply?
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H5N1 poses a hurdle for the dairy industry and commercial livestock farming, but not in a way that will necessarily make you sick. “We have seen milk infected with H5N1 before, but pasteurization kills the virus. We didn’t find it in beef, chicken or eggs,” says Brian LabusPhD, MPH, REHS, Assistant Professor, School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
“The likelihood of H5N1 being transmitted through poultry products is extremely low, because symptoms appear quickly in poultry, especially turkeys, and birds quickly succumb to the virus,” says Mitzi Baum, CEO of Stop foodborne illnesses. The onset of H5N1 is so rapid that Labus says infected birds don’t have enough time to lay eggs before symptoms become fatal.
Additionally, several federal and industry guidelines are in place to further reduce the risk of H5N1 entering our food supply. “The likelihood of eggs from infected poultry entering the retail market is low, due to the protective measures in place, which include flock testing and federal inspection programs,” says Dr. Mickey Rubinvice president of research for the American Egg Board. “Once a commercial poultry farm is identified as HPAI positive, the farm is placed in quarantine and all movement of eggs and birds stops immediately. This is required and enforced by state veterinarians working in conjunction with the USDA.
Rubin also notes that egg producers facing an avian flu outbreak cannot return to normal operations without careful cleaning, disinfection, testing and approval from the USDA and state government. Loss of production helps prevent infected produce from reaching the food supply. It also puts a strain on the supply chain, which can increase prices of eggs and poultry for the consumer.
Can we still eat eggs and poultry?
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When it comes to bird flu risk levels, purchasing eggs and poultry from the supermarket is at the lower end of the spectrum. The CDC says there is no evidence that foods transmit H5N1, provided they are cooked and handled properly.
“Even though H5N1 can potentially be present in our food, the flu is not truly a foodborne illness. You have to breathe it to get sick, not eat it,” explains Labus. “There is a much higher risk of becoming infected with common foodborne pathogens like salmonella.”
Health experts advise cook completely your eggs and poultry to an internal temperature of 165°F to kill bacteria and viruses, including this strain of bird flu. Cooking your chicken thoroughly is something most home cooks are accustomed to doing, but the increased precautions may affect how you consume eggs. Soft, runny, undercooked eggs do not reach a high enough temperature to repel pathogens, posing a transmission risk. The safest way to eat eggs is to cook them completely, meaning the white and yolk are firm.
If you’re not ready to give up runny eggs, Baum suggests purchasing pasteurized shell eggs which can reduce the risk of transmission. It is also advisable to use these eggs, or pasteurized egg products, when making recipes that do not cook the eggs completely. Examples include homemade salad dressings and ice cream.
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