The discovery of fragments of avian flu virus in milk sold in U.S. stores, including in about 20% of samples in initial testing across the country, suggests that the H5N1 virus may be more widespread in dairy cattle than previously realized.

The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday announced that genetic fragments from the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 have been detected in the pasteurized, commercial milk supply. However,

The milk poses virtually no risk to consumers, experts said. But the finding suggests that the outbreak in dairy cows is wider than has been known.

The research has not yet found evidence that milk contains infectious virus, and the FDA says the commercial milk supply is safe

The FDA said it found particles of the bird flu virus in samples of pasteurized milk. The agency says that milk is still safe to drink, but additional testing is needed to confirm the contamination. Dr.

Bits of bird flu virus have been discovered in roughly 20% of retail milk samples tested in a national survey, the U.S. Food

Unlike pasteurized milk, which undergoes a process that kills harmful bacteria, experts say raw milk can carry pathogens that make you sick.

The U.S. government said on Monday it is collecting samples of ground beef at retail stores in states with outbreaks of bird flu in dairy cows for testing but remains confident the meat supply is safe.

Following continued concerns about bird flu and the discovery of viral particles in milk, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is now testing ground beef for the virus, Reuters reports. The news comes after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed via testing last week that the commercial milk supply in the United States is safe.