Bird flu is spreading to more farm animals. Are milk and eggs safe?
A bird flu outbreak in U.S. dairy cows has spread to more than two dozen herds in eight states. That comes weeks after the nation’s largest egg producer found the virus in its chickens. Health officials continue to stress that the risk to the public is low and that the U.S. food supply remains safe and stable. Commercial milk remains safe and available because pasteurization, a high heat treatment, kills bacteria and viruses. But there's limited information about possible transmission of the virus in unpasteurized milk or cheese products. That is prompting officials to warn consumers about the known risks of consuming raw milk.