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Half of consumers surveyed concerned about avian flu
A U.S. market research company says more than half of consumers surveyed are concerned about avian flu impacting food safety because of the outbreak in commercial flocks in the Midwest.
The NPD Group’s Food Safety Monitor found 51-percent had SOME level of concern. Of those, 17% said they were very or extremely concerned. The other 34% were somewhat or slightly concerned.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says “Although avian influenza A viruses usually do not infect humans, rare cases of human infection with these viruses have been reported.” The CDC says, “Most human infections with avian influenza A viruses have occurred following direct or close contact with infected poultry.”
Infected commercial birds, chickens, turkeys and egg-laying hens, are destroyed and do not enter the food change.
Cooking those foods to a proper temperature and avoiding cross-contamination with raw product, food experts say, will kill any and all possible pathogens.
A spokesman with the NPD Group says it is typical during food outbreaks to see an increase in consumer concern as news coverage of them increases.
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