After HPAI was found in dairy cattle, the Meat Institute says that properly prepared beef is safe to eat and not a safety risk to humans.
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and USDA food safety experts say properly prepared beef is safe to eat,” says Meat Institute President and CEO Julie Anna Potts. “HPAI cannot be transmitted to humans by eating meat or poultry products.”
She also says the Meat Institute and its member companies will continue to be vigilant to aid in the efforts to stop the spread of the disease among animals in food production. “We will support the nation’s producers working to protect their herds,” Potts adds.
The meat and poultry industries are among the most intensely regulated in the nation. Inspectors from the Food Safety and Inspection Service are present every day in meat packing plants and are trained to detect disease before and after slaughter.