With the country in the grip of avian influenza or bird flu, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued guidelines on the safe handling, processing and consumption of poultry meat and eggs on its website.
Ten precautionary measures released by FSSAI:
1. Do not eat half-boiled eggs
2. Do not eat undercooked chicken
3. Avoid direct contact with birds in the infected areas
4. Avoid touching dead birds with bare hands
5. Do not keep raw meat in open
6. No direct contact with raw meat
7. Use a mask and gloves at the time of handling raw chicken
8. Wash hands frequently
9. Maintain the cleanliness of surroundings.
10. Eat chicken, eggs and their products after cooking.
The virus is destroyed at 70°C if held for about three seconds. Properly cooking meat or eggs to achieve a temperature of 74°C in eggs or all parts of meat will most likely inactivate the virus. So temperature is key. The FSSAI also discouraged people from panicking and causing further confusion.
