The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has halted a critical program validating bird flu testing in dairy and pet food, citing staff cuts mandated by the Trump administration. The move, which creates potential gaps in food safety oversight, comes as H5N1 continues to spread across U.S. dairy herds, with raw milk and pet food remaining key risk vectors.

The FDA has suspended a key program designed to ensure accurate bird flu testing in milk, cheese, and pet food, citing staff cuts under federal downsizing efforts. The now-paused Interlaboratory Comparison Exercise would have involved over 40 labs across the FDA, USDA, and private industry to validate testing methods for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in food products.

An internal email seen by Reuters confirmed the program’s cancellation, stating it would have been "critical to ensure confidence in the laboratory methods for food safety and animal health." The FDA has previously confirmed that pasteurization neutralizes H5N1 in dairy, but concerns remain over raw milk and pet food—highlighted by the deaths of at least two cats that consumed contaminated raw food.

The suspension comes as H5N1 continues spreading in U.S. dairy herds, with nearly 1,000 farms affected. While the USDA handles bulk milk testing, the FDA oversees finished consumer products—a division now facing gaps in quality assurance.

FIRST HUMAN CASE IN MEXICO RAISES ZOONOTIC CONCERNS

Separately, Mexico reported its first human H5N1 case in a three-year-old from Durango, a state with a robust cattle industry. The child remains hospitalized in serious condition. The WHO stresses that public risk remains low, noting no evidence of sustained human transmission. However, the incident underscores the virus’s zoonotic potential in livestock-dense regions.