Can Eggs Spread Bird Flu? What You Must Know
Bird flu cases are rising in U.S. states, with the first death reported this week in Louisiana. The spread of avian influenza has also impacted the nationwide supply of poultry products, including eggs. According to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, avian influenza is a highly contagious virus that can spread through contact with infected animals, by equipment, and on the clothing and shoes of caretakers. So, are the eggs in America’s grocery stores safe to eat?
An April 2024 notice from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) suggested there is a “low” likelihood that eggs from infected poultry would be found in the retail market.
With proper storage and preparation, eggs should be safe to eat, according to a statement sent to Fox News Digital from the FDA.
Doctors Worry That Iodine Deficiency Is Coming Back
The 13-year-old boy came to the clinic with a rapidly ballooning neck. Doctors were puzzled. Testing ruled out their first suspicion. But further tests pinpointed what they — and the boy — had been missing: iodine. A century ago, iodine deficiency affected kids across large swaths of the country. It essentially disappeared after some food makers started adding it to table salt, bread, and some other foods, in one of the great public health success stories of the 20th century.
But today, people are getting less iodine because of changes in diet and food manufacturing. Although most people are still getting enough, researchers have increasingly been reporting low levels of iodine in pregnant women and other people, raising concerns about an impact on their newborns. And there is also a very small, but growing, number of reports of iodine deficiency in kids. “This needs to be on people’s radar,” said Monica Serrano-Gonzalez, M.D., of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, who treated the boy in 2021.
Sugary Drinks May Be Driving Millions of Diabetes and Heart Disease Cases
Addressing the problems of cardiovascular disease and diabetes remains a key area of research and health intervention. A recent study published in Nature Medicine estimated the global impact of sugar-sweetened beverages on Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, looking at data from 184 countries.
The researchers found that in 2020, sugar-sweetened beverages were responsible for an estimated 9.8% of Type 2 diabetes cases and 3.1% of cardiovascular disease cases worldwide. The data further explored which regions, countries, and individuals were most affected by sugar-sweetened beverage consumption. Sugar-sweetened beverages like sodas remain a popular drink choice despite the potential risks. Study authors point out that consuming sugary sweetened beverages contributes to Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, as well as weight gain.
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Daily Glass of Milk May Cut Bowel Cancer Risk by Fifth, Research Finds
Having a large glass of milk every day may cut the risk of bowel cancer by nearly a fifth, according to the largest study conducted into diet and the disease. An extra daily 300mg of calcium, about the amount found in half a pint of milk, was associated with a 17% lower risk of bowel cancer, researchers said, with non-dairy sources of calcium such as fortified soy milk having a similar protective effect.
“This comprehensive study provides robust evidence that dairy products may help prevent colorectal cancer, largely due to the calcium they contain,” said Dr. Keren Papier, the first author of the study and a senior nutritional epidemiologist at the University of Oxford. “Calcium was found to have a similar effect in both dairy and non-dairy sources, suggesting that it was the main factor responsible for cutting risk,” she added.
WHO Says Bird Flu Risk Low After 1st H5N1 Death In US
The World Health Organization (WHO) says that the risk from H5N1 avian influenza remains low after the first H5N1 death was recorded in Louisiana on Monday. “We are concerned, of course, but we look at the risk to the general population, and … it still remains low,” said WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris in a statement to reporters at a Geneva press briefing.
When asked if monitoring of the virus was sufficient in the U.S., she said “They are doing a lot of surveillance. That’s why we’re hearing about it.” Over 60 people in the U.S. have contracted bird flu since April, most of whom were farm workers and dairy facility employees after the virus was found circulating among dairy cattle herds and poultry flocks.
The person who died in Louisiana had contracted H5N1 after exposure to wild birds, and a “non-commercial backyard flock,” officials reported, adding that it’s the only confirmed human case of H5N1 in the state. There has been no recorded person-to-person transmission of the virus, which was first detected in U.S. dairy cattle in March 2024. It has since been confirmed in at least 80 herds in 16 states.
