*Eating* eggs or chicken...

[Guest Guest]

MIGHT spread the Avian/Bird flu??

 

"We have no proof at all that people can contract the virus through the digestive route. However, we cannot exclude that theoretically it would be possible for that to happen."

 

Sounds like this might be the combined efforts of the Beef and Pork producers...

 

 

[Guest Guest]

The Italian response:

 

***********************

 

Italians deplore bird flu ‘mass psychosis'

 

By Tony Barber in Rome

Published: October 26 2005 21:20 | Last updated: October 26 2005 21:20

 

Italian poultry farmers on Wednesday deplored what they called a completely unnecessary “mass psychosis” over the risk of bird flu and blamed it for bringing Italian producers near to collapse.

 

They demanded the resignation of Herman Koëter, scientific director of the European Food Safety Authority, for spreading what they said were unjustified fears about the consumption of poultry products. Poultry and egg producers in the UK, Spain and France were more measured in their response but in Germany, where sales of poultry products have fallen by at least 10 per cent, some restaurants are taking eggs and poultry off the menu.

 

“Our chickens and eggs are as safe as can be,” said Rolando Manfredini, food safety director for Coldiretti, Italy's farmers' association. “There exists no risk of contamination. The virus does not exist in the European Union and when chicken is cooked the virus dies at 60C to 70C. A mass psychosis is being created, fed by distorted information,” he said.

 

Mr Koëter refused this week to rule out the theoretical possibility that people could contract the virus through the digestive route though he said Efsa had no proof this was possible.

 

Efsa said that instead of calling for Mr Koëter's resignation, farmers should be asking for his promotion because his message was reassuring about the consumption of properly cooked poultry and eggs.

 

 

[gardnmom]

The experts agree that you could contract the flu from raw chicken, cooking it kills the virus. Care should be used in handling poultry, wearing rubber gloves if you suspect that the bird may have been infected, is recommended, heat kills the virus.

Just use reasonable care.