Key Points:
- Bird Flu in India has spread to a lot of states and in order to be safe from the flu, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), on Thursday, released a set of Guidelines for the citizens to follow.
- “Proper cooking inactivates the virus present inside the meat and eggs. Poultry meat and eggs from areas with outbreaks in poultry should not be consumed raw or partially cooked,” read the FSSAI circular.
- Use a mask and gloves at the time of handling raw chicken and eat chicken, eggs and their products after cooking.
- Avoid direct contact with birds in the infected areas, touching dead birds with bare hands and do not keep raw meat in open.
Bird Flu in India has spread to a lot of states and in order to be safe from the flu, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), on Thursday, released a set of Guidelines for the citizens to follow. The FSSAI has urged consumers and food businesses “not to panic” and ensure proper handling and cooking of poultry meat and eggs for safe consumption as outlined in the guidance document.
FSSAI has termed the document as ‘Safe handling, Processing and Consumption of Poultry Meat and Eggs during Bird Flu Pandemic’.
According to the regulator, bird flu is an infection caused by ‘Avian Influenza’ viruses. These flu viruses occur naturally among birds. Wild birds worldwide carry the viruses in their intestines, but usually do not get sick from them. However, bird flu is very contagious among birds and can make some domesticated birds, including chicken and ducks, very sick and kill them.
“Proper cooking inactivates the virus present inside the meat and eggs. Poultry meat and eggs from areas with outbreaks in poultry should not be consumed raw or partially cooked,” read the FSSAI circular.
To access the Guidance Note on -safe handling, processing & consumption of poultry meat and eggs during bird flu outbreak visit: https://t.co/YrRvsqtEQZ pic.twitter.com/TKqrkV7iSG
— FSSAI (@fssaiindia) January 20, 2021
DO’s and DON’Ts by FSSAI:
Do’s
- Use a mask and gloves at the time of handling raw chicken
- Wash hands frequently
- Maintain the cleanliness of surroundings.
- Eat chicken, eggs and their products after cooking.
Don’ts
- Do not eat half-boiled eggs
- Do not eat undercooked chicken
- Avoid direct contact with birds in the infected areas
- Avoid touching dead birds with bare hands
- Do not keep raw meat in open
- No direct contact with raw meat
- Do not use the same chopping board or the same knife that is used for cutting raw poultry meat for any other food item before sanitising it or thoroughly washing it with soap/ detergent, it added.
Till 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, as per the World Health Organization, FSSAI mentioned.
Bird flu in ‘poultry birds’ in India has been confirmed in in six states — Kerala, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Punjab.
FSSAI Guidelines PDF
