Klerksdorp Record, Klerksdorp - There are many concerns among consumers about eating eggs and chicken during an avian flu outbreak.
Consumers can rest assured that properly cooked eggs (and chicken) does not pose a risk of infecting humans with the avian flu. “This is because heat effectively destroys this virus,” says Dr Abongile Balarane, GM: Egg Organisation.
She added that since this virus has been in South Africa there are no reported cases of the spread of this virus from chicken meat or eggs to humans.
“Eating raw eggs, however, may put you at risk of food-borne illness. This is why it is important to always cook your eggs properly before eating. Cooking can even improve the absorption of some nutrients in the egg, like protein, which is important for immunity and muscle building.”
She added that any eggs and poultry that people may find at their local grocers are safe to eat as there are many strict guidelines for safety measures in an outbreak like this.
Why the uproar?
* The South African Poultry Industry has been hit by H5N1 and H7N6 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). Provinces affected by H5N1 are Western Cape and Kwa Zulu Natal.
* Free State, Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and North West were hit by the H7N6 strain.
“All affected farms have been immediately placed under quarantine and no live chickens and eggs are allowed to be removed from the farm. Chickens infected with HPAI get sick fairly quickly and die. Generally, the first signs of sick animals include a drop in production, meaning that sick chickens will produce very few (if any) eggs. This together with the added mitigation of placing farms under quarantine, means no eggs from these infected farms will make their way to the shelves,” she added.
