By Jim Crawford

University of Georgia

Poultry and poultry products are getting some bad press and
are the
subject of untrue rumors linked to Asian Bird Flu.

As a University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agent, I
want to
assure you that eating eggs and other poultry products is safe in
spite of the rumors you may have heard. As a matter of fact, the
Georgia Poultry Federation wants you to know the truth about
avian
influenza.

Not in U.S. yet

The type of avian influenza occurring in Asia is called H5N1
HPAI
highly pathogenic avian influenza. We have never had this strain
in the United States and do not have it now.

The disease is currently causing a major outbreak in multiple
Asian
countries. It is extremely deadly to poultry, has spread to wild
birds in those areas, has caused more than 100 infections in
humans
and has resulted in some human deaths.

Actually, the transmission of Asian bird flu from birds to
humans
is extremely rare. Furthermore, the truth is that almost all
infected people have had close, direct contact with live poultry
infected with Asian bird flu.

Most of the poultry in Asian countries is produced in small
backyard or village flocks. This puts people there in frequent
contact with these birds and their feces and other
secretions.

The sheer number of backyard flocks and infected wild birds
makes
the task of controlling this disease very difficult. The problem
in Asia also presents a real challenge because the virus is
present
in such a large geographical region. These underdeveloped areas
are not able to make a large-scale eradication effort.

U.S. industry prepared

You can take comfort knowing that considerable effort has
been made
to prevent the introduction of asian bird flu into U.S. poultry.
Officials here have also prepared a response should the virus
enter
the U.S.

Unlike Asian poultry, U.S. poultry production units require
very
little handling of poultry. And the U.S. doesn’t import any
chicken, turkey or other poultry products from Asia. The fresh
poultry you see in grocery stores is produced in the U.S., except
for a very small amount produced in Canada.

If you’re still concerned, consider that like all
microorganisms,
the avian influenza virus is killed by the heat of normal
cooking.
Even if this disease was introduced into the U.S., there is no
danger of getting it from properly cooked poultry.

So, are eggs safe to eat? Absolutely. If laying-hens develop
avian
influenza one of the first symptoms is that they stop laying
eggs.

If the virus was discovered in the U.S., the effected farm
would be
immediately quarantined. Besides, table eggs are washed and
sanitized before they are sold in grocery stores. If the virus
were present on the shell, it would be inactivated by the
sanitation process.

So, go ahead and enjoy your eggs for breakfast and your Sunday
fried chicken dinner without fear of avian influenza.