In the wake of the Avian Influenza or Bird Flu in the country, The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued guidelines on safe handling and consumption of meat and poultry eggs.
The FSSAI issued a guidance document to help the people in understanding the disease and taking the necessary precautions. The document also stated that “..to date, no evidence of indicates that anyone has become infected following the consumption of properly cooked poultry or poultry products, even if these foods were contaminated with the avian influenza virus.”
The Do’s and Don’ts stated in the document are as follows:
- Do not eat half-boiled eggs.
- Do not eat undercooked chicken.
- Avoid direct contact with birds in the infected areas.
- Avoid touching dead birds with bare hands.
- Do not keep raw meat in open.
- No direct contact with raw meat.
- Use mask and gloves at the time of handling raw chicken.
- Wash hands frequently.
- Maintain the cleanliness of the surroundings.
- Eat chicken, eggs and their products after cooking.
As stated by the central government, the outbreak of bird flu has been confirmed in 9 states (Kerala, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab) for poultry birds and in 12 states (Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab) for Crow/Migratory/ Wild birds till January 23.
(Feature image source: wane15)
