The U.S. Department of Agriculture said it will begin collecting samples of ground beef from grocery stores to test for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).
The sampling will take place in states where HPAI has been detected in dairy cattle, USDA said. Some dairy cattle enter the supply chain as ground beef when they are culled from the herd.
The USDA also said it will conduct cooking studies to determine how much virus is killed under each heat setting.
Despite the testing, the USDA said it remains confident that the meat and commercial milk supply is safe to consume. There are currently 9 states with reported outbreaks.
The move comes as Colombia placed restrictions on beef and beef products coming from US states where dairy herds have tested positive for avian influenza.
That move was criticized by the U.S. Meat Export Federation for having no scientific basis. The U.S. exported about $40 million in beef and beef products to Colombia last year, according to data by USMEF.
