Since the first case of H7N9 was found in China at the end of March 2013, people avoid eating any poultry meat, and bear much doubt about whether poultry meat is the cause of avian influenza.

According to Avian Viruses:Function and Control of Branson W.Ritchie, an American expert of fowl disease, avian influenza virus could only survive for 2-3minutes at 56℃. And according to the conclusion of WHO, avian influenza virus should be cleared away in 2 minutes at a high temperature of 70℃, which means that avian influenza virus could not withstand high temperature.

And to answer the question : whether it is safe to eat poultry meat, Zhong Nanshan, an Academician of China Engineering Academy and famous expert of respiratory medicine, holds his opinion that H7N9 virus would be totally destroyed within a minute at 100℃, thus “the boiled-up food are safe”. That is to say, eating poultry meat which is cooked at temperature over 100℃ would not catch avian influenza.

It is learned that current cases of avian influenza are infectious through respiratory tracts rather than alimentary canal. Meanwhile, H7N9 virus is poor-resistant to acid and gastric acid would destroy them in the stomach. Therefore, people would not catch up with flu through poultry consumption. And up till now, there is no case of avian influenza caused by eating poultry meat.

Consequently, National Poultry Industry Association and China Feather and Down Industry Association release a joint statement: Virus can be killed under at high temperature and poultry meat is a healthy and safe food. Besides, none of the practitioners in poultry industry has been infected. Thus, we call for customers to treat the situation rationally and to consume scientifically. Poultry meat as well as eggs boiled over 1 minute at 100℃ carry no virus and are safe to eat.

CFDIA