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TAKE PRECAUTIONS Chicken cooked at 74 degree Celsius or higher is safe

Flu (avian influenza), now sweeping through West Bengal, raises troubling questions for the ardent non-vegetarian: will it alter the taste of chicken? Will eating eggs or chicken put me at risk?

First, the good news. Even in an outbreak zone, bird flu poses little risk for the consumer eating well-cooked meat and eggs. The bird flu (H5N1) virus cannot survive beyond 70 degree Celsius.

Influenza is not something to sneeze at. The Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 killed more people than World Wars I and II combined. If bird flu spreads among humans, the death toll could be much worse. Bird flu follows an aggressive course in most infected humans. Cough, breathlessness, multi-organ failure and death are the most common outcomes. Currently there is no vaccine or cure. The annual vaccine against human influenza will not prevent bird flu.

Who is at risk? Direct contact with infected poultry — especially during slaughter and preparation for cooking, or surfaces and objects contaminated by poultry faeces, is now the main cause of human infection.

How can I safely prepare food for my family? In truth, no special precautions are necessary. The universal precautions for handling poultry — infected or not — are enough. Use a separate cutting board and knife for meat. Do not let the juices of raw chicken drip on other foods in the fridge. Wash hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw poultry and eggs. Wash cutting boards and utensils with soapy hot water. Hard boil eggs. Cook chicken to 74 degree Celsius or higher.

How do I detect infected birds? This is the tricky bit. Illness in poultry ranges from mild symptoms like ruffled feathers and a drop in egg production to serious illness and death. Infected birds can even be asymptomatic. Avoid sick, dying and dead birds, especially wild and migratory birds.

Can drugs help? Not really. Oseltamivir (a.k.a Tamiflu) and zanamivir (a.k.a Relenza) have only marginal benefit in the early stages. Prevention is your best bet for staying alive. What are the best sources for information on this topic? The Centres for Disease Control ( http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/facts.htm ) and the World Health Organisation ( http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/avian_faqs/en/index.html#isthere ) are the most authoritative, comprehensive and in-depth sources for the public.

RAJIV M.

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