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Scientists have warned that the influenza or flu virus survives in raw milk stored in a refrigerator for up to five days. This new study from Stanford University comes at a time when an outbreak of bird flu in dairy cattle has raised concerns about the possibility of a new pandemic.

 

“This work highlights the potential risk of avian influenza transmission from raw milk consumption and the importance of milk pasteurization,” said senior author Alexandria Boehm of the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability and Stanford School of Engineering.

More nutrients-

 

Proponents of raw milk claim that it contains more beneficial nutrients, enzymes, and probiotics than pasteurized milk. It may boost immunity and prevent gastrointestinal diseases.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has linked raw milk to more than 200 illnesses and warned that germs such as E. coli and salmonella present in raw milk pose a 'serious' health risk, particularly to children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with weakened immunity.

The study, published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology Letters, looked at the survival of a type of human influenza virus in raw cow's milk at normal refrigeration temperatures. The flu virus, called H1N1 PR8, survived in milk and remained infectious for up to five days.

May pose a risk to animals and humans-

"The persistence of infectious influenza virus in raw milk for several days raises concerns about potential transmission routes. The virus may contaminate surfaces and other environmental materials within dairy facilities, posing risks to animals and humans," said Mengyang Zhang, co-lead author of the study.

Specifically, the researchers found that the flu virus's RNA molecules, which carry genetic information and pose no threat to health, remained viable in raw milk for at least 57 days. In comparison, pasteurization completely destroyed infectious influenza in milk and reduced the amount of viral RNA by about 90 percent, but did not completely eliminate the RNA.

According to the authors of the study, these findings make it clear that surveillance systems need to be improved, especially as bird flu continues to spread among cattle.

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