FDA finds traces of bird flu in grocery store milk. Is it safe to drink?

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — A Lincoln mother is thinking twice before giving milk to her daughter after bird flu particles were found in some milk.

“Who would want their children to drink something that’s contaminated?” Alexa Hallow Horn said.

Fragments of the virus were found in samples of milk from grocery stores in the U.S., according to the Food and Drug Administration.

Horn is considering other options for her daughter.

“I definitely feel a little bit more scared to buy her normal milk now knowing that,” she said. “I would probably be switching her to almond milk, to be honest, because I don’t want her drinking anything that’s not good for her health.” 

But the FDA stressed that the nation’s milk supply is safe to drink because pasteurization kills the virus, though it does not remove the particles.

The FDA said it will continue to test on cow’s milk and eggs. 

SEE ALSO: Bird flu found in Gage County flock

A University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor agreed that milk is safe for consumers.

“There is no reason to assume that milk is not safe — treated milk,” said Matt Hille, a veterinary pathologist. “It’s not necessarily too surprising based on the testing that was performed.” 

The bird flu is impacting dairy cows across the country.

It’s been detected in 33 dairy herds in eight states, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

While there are no reports of bird flu in Nebraska dairy cattle, it is still a concern for some producers. 

“It has the potential to impact production of these dairy cows, in some cases, substantially,” Hille said. “Some milk production losses have been noted to be 20% on some of these affected cows.”