Avian influenza
summery notes
- conventional cooking ( temperatures at or above 70 C in all parts of a food item )will inactivate the H5N1 virus. properly cooked poultry meat is therefore safe to consume.
- The H5N1 virus,if present in poultry meat,isnot killed by refrigeration or freezing.
- Home slaughtering & preparation of sick or dead puoltry for food is hazardous:this practice must be stopped.
- Eggs can contain H5N1 virus both on the outside (shell)& the inside(white & yolk).eggs from areas with H5N1 outbreaks in poultry shouldnot be consumed raw or partially cooked(runnyyolk),uncooked eggs shouldnot be used in food that will not cooked,baked or heat-treated in other ways.
- There is no epidemiological evidence to indicate that people have been infected with the H5N1 virus following consumption of properly cooked poultry or eggs.
- The greatest risk of exposure to the virus is through the handling & slaughter of live infected poultry.Good hygiene practice are essential during slaughter & post-slaughter handling to prevent exposure via raw poultry meat or cross contamination from to other foods,food preparation surface or equipment.
- Ref : INFOSAN information note no. 7/2005
