Saturday, 21 June 2025
In view of the Bird Flu Pandemic, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a guidance document on “Safe handling, processing and consumption of poultry meat and eggs during bird flu Pandemic” for creating awareness amongst Food Business Operators (FBOs) and consumers.
The document aims to guide and create awareness among FBOs and consumers about safe handling and processing practices for poultry and eggs.
The document suggests that proper cooking inactivates the virus present inside the meat and eggs. Poultry meat and eggs from the areas affected by outbreaks in poultry should not be consumed raw or partially cooked. However, to date, no evidence indicates that anyone has become infected following the consumption of properly cooked poultry or poultry products, even if these foods were contaminated with the avian influenza virus.
According to the WHO official website, there is no epidemiological data that suggests that the disease can be transmitted to humans through cooked food.
Major Do’s and Don’ts suggested are: 1) Do not eat half-boiled eggs 2) Do not eat undercooked chicken 3) Avoid direct contact with birds in the infected areas 4) Avoid touching dead birds with bare hands 5) Do not keep raw meat in open 6) No direct contact with raw meat 7) Use a mask and gloves at the time of handling raw chicken 8) Wash hands frequently 9) Maintain the cleanliness of surroundings. 10) Eat chicken, eggs and their products after cooking. The virus is destroyed at 70°C if held for about 3 seconds.
