pasteurize

They also note that cooking foods properly and pasteurizing dairy products inactivates the virus.

State and federal health authorities insist that H5N1 poses little threat to humans and that it is safe to drink milk that has been pasteurized, because the process kills the virus.

Both state and federal health officials say milk is safe to drink, as long as it has been pasteurized.

State officials continue to reassure the public that the risk to the general population is low, and that pasteurized milk and dairy products are safe for human consumption.

Health officials say pasteurization inactivates the virus so there is no cause for concern for consumers of pasteurized milk or dairy products.