Avian influenza has spread from birds to dairy cows in 11 American states, most recently in Iowa and Minnesota, prompting some to ponder the risk of consuming dairy products, eggs and poultry. During the outbreak in the United States — there has been no report of a case in Canada —  what does this mean for food safety?

According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) hasn’t been detected in dairy cattle or other livestock in Canada, and commercially sold milk and dairy products are safe to consume. “We are monitoring this rapidly evolving situation closely and taking proactive measures by testing commercial milk to look for viral fragments of HPAI,” it said in a statement.