The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a number of guidelines regarding the safe consumption of eggs and chicken. This has been done in the light of rising avian influenza cases in the country.
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The 10-point guideline issued by the FSSAI aims to dissolve the emerging dilemma around eating eggs and chicken amidst the scare. According to the FSSAI, highly pathogenic avian influenza can be found inside and on the surface of the eggs laid by infected birds. Poultry meat and eggs from areas with outbreaks in poultry should not be consumed raw or partially cooked. The virus can also be destroyed by cooking the food at 70 degree Celsius for at least 3 seconds.
List of Dos and Don’ts issues by the 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 cleanliness of the surroundings.
10. Eat chicken, eggs, and their products after cooking.
Meanwhile, the central government, on Saturday, informed that avian influenza or bird flu has been confirmed in 9 states for poultry birds and in 12 states for the crow and migratory birds, till January 24. These states include Kerala, Haryana, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Jammu & Kashmir.
