Researchers haven’t found any avian flu in retail samples of ground beef.

Retail samples of ground beef in states with dairy cattle that had tested positive for avian influenza H5N1 have tested negative for the virus, according to the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Service.

APHIS scientists collected 30 samples from retail outlets in the states and sent them to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, the agency stated on its website.

On Wednesday, the laboratory reported all samples tested negative for H5N1.

“These results reaffirm that the meat supply is safe,” APHIS stated.

Capital Press has contacted APHIS to find out if that study is complete or if testing will continue.

Earlier this week, USDA announced it would be conducting three separate beef safety studies related to avian influenza in meat from dairy cattle.

“These studies are taking place in the interest of scientific inquiry and (to) reaffirm consumer confidence,” APHIS stated.

Three studies

The first study would sample ground beef from the affected states for particles of the virus.

The second will sample beef muscle of cull dairy cows condemned at select FSIS-inspected slaughter facilities.

FSIS is currently collecting those muscle samples, which will be analyzed using PCR to determine presence of viral particles. The results are forthcoming and will be posted as soon as they become available.

The third study is a ground beef cooking study. The Agricultural Research Service will be conducting that study using a virus surrogate in ground beef and cooking it at different temperatures to determine any reduction of the virus, or the degree to which cooking reduces the pathogen.

Cull cows

“USDA beef sampling at retail and the cooking study is focusing on ground beef, as that is the product that is most commonly produced at facilities that slaughter cull dairy cattle,” USDA’s office of communications stated in an email to Capital Press.

The safety studies follow Food and Drug Administration detections of inactive bird flu virus fragments in retail samples of pasteurized milk and a federal order requiring the testing of lactating cows before shipping them across state borders. Positive test results must be reported to USDA.

The studies also come on the heels of Colombia’s import restrictions on beef from U.S. states with avian influenza H5N1 in dairy cattle.

To date, National Veterinary Services Laboratory has confirmed 34 cases of H5N1 if dairy cattle in nine states.