H5N1, also known as the H5 Bird Flu, is undergoing a multi-state outbreak in dairy cattle and is sporadic in poultry flocks, according to the CDC. Thus, the FDA has introduced new requirements for cat and dog food producers who use raw ingredients in their products.
The agency has determined that manufacturers covered by the Food Safety Modernization Act Preventive Controls for Animal Food (PCAF) rule who use uncooked or unpasteurized materials derived from poultry or cattle must reanalyze their food safety plans to include Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza virus (specifically H5N1) as a known or reasonably foreseeable hazard, per a Jan. 17 announcement.
The FDA says the update is designed to help cat and dog food manufacturers stay updated on new hazards associated with H5N1. Scientific information continues to evolve, but evidence shows cats and dogs can contract H5N1 through consumption of infected poultry or cattle that have not undergone a processing step capable of inactivating the virus, the agency states. Such processes include pasteurization, cooking, or canning.
