Avian influenza: Govt issues guidelines on use of chicken meat

BENGALURU: After the outbreak of bird flu was confirmed at Varadahalli village in Chikkaballapur taluk and the subsequent culling of birds taken up, the Animal Husbandry department has come out with guidelines on consumption of chicken meat.

The guidelines are aimed at preventing the spread of the Avian influenza and ensure safe consumption of chicken meat. As per the guidelines chicken meat and eggs can be consumed after cooking/boiling it in 70 degrees centigrade heat for at least 30 minutes.

Those preparing food with chicken meat should take precautions and wash their hands with sanitiser after cooking. Uncooked meat or raw eggs should not come in contact with cooked food for boiled eggs and half-boiled eggs shoud not be consumed. The virus does not survive long under high temperatures, the guidelines noted.

The guidelines also advise people from visiting poultry farms and suggests that workers at poultry farms should use anti-toxins on their clothes, shoes, arms and legs. If poultry equipment has to be borrowed, it should be cleaned with anti-toxins and sanitiser. Poultry farms should be kept clean and the feed and water should be changed daily. Care should be taken so that other species of birds do not come in contact with chicken, the guidelines state.