Supermarket giant Coles has announced it will limit the number of eggs customers can buy to avoid shortages caused by rising outbreaks of bird flu.
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Customers will be temporarily limited to purchasing two cartons in all stores, except in Western Australia.
The announcement comes after the highly pathogenic H7N3 strain of bird flu was detected at a fifth poultry farm in Victoria.
The current outbreak was first found in Australia on May 22, and about half a million chickens have been culled in an effort to contain the spread of the H7N3 and H7N9 strains.
The first human case of bird flu in Australia was confirmed by the Victorian Department of Health on May 18. The exposure occurred overseas and is unrelated to the current outbreak affecting poultry farms.
Are eggs safe to eat?
Yes. Just make sure to follow good hygiene, like washing hands correctly, cooking food thoroughly and storing eggs correctly.
A spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry said: "Australian eggs and egg products remain safe to eat provided they are handled and cooked according to safe food handling practices."
Enzo Palombo, a professor of microbiology at Swinburne University, said there was no suggestion of bird flu being transmitted through eggs or any other food.
"Cooking is your best friend," Professor Palombo said.
Agriculture Minister and Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt said there was no risk of contaminated eggs getting into the supply system.
"Australian consumers can be very confident that the eggs they're consuming are safe," Mr Watt said on Monday.
"It's also important to remember that the strain of avian flu that we see in Victoria is not the particularly deadly strain that we have seen in other countries around the world. That's the way we intend to keep it."
Are there any other measures I need to take to keep myself and my family safe?
The Agriculture Department said there was a "very low risk" of people becoming infected with bird flu through normal contact with healthy birds.
People can still safely go to poultry farms as long as no bird flu has been detected.
What about my backyard chooks?
The chance of your own backyard flock picking up avian influenza is "very remote", Professor Palombo said.
"As we've seen in the international experience, the bird flu is spread mainly by wild birds, migratory birds. Now, in the off chance that a bird happens to be infected in a poultry farm and then flies elsewhere and spreads the disease, that is a potential. But we haven't seen that happen yet," he said.
Why are supermarket limits in place?
While there is not yet a shortage of eggs in Australia, supermarkets may be placing limits on egg sales because they are concerned about future supply limits.
"Coles have decided to take a pre-emptive approach in response to the current outbreak of Avian Influenza in Victoria," the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry spokesperson said.
"It is important to note that there is currently no shortage of domestic supply of eggs in Australia."
Professor Palombo said Coles' measures could "simply mean that there might be a shortage predicted".
"I can just imagine that there might be upcoming supply issues, given that we've had to cull many hundreds of thousands of egg-laying poultry in Victoria," he said.
How long will we have limits in place?
Although the limit on Coles eggs is temporary, Professor Palombo said the end date was "really unknown".
"It depends on whether the outbreaks are controlled, whether there are more egg main poultry farms affected in Victoria or in other parts of the country," Professor Palombo said.
"So it's hard to predict, given that we're still in the middle of the outbreak, and there's no indication of whether it will be a short-term issue or a long-term issue."
Will the price of eggs increase?
If egg supplies run short, consumers should brace for potential price rises.
Professor Palombo said this is ultimately a commercial decision, but "imagine(s), with anything, if supply goes down, then prices might rise".
Victorian Farmers Federation vice president and egg farmer Danyel Cucinotta last week said the industry was doing everything it could to deliver fresh and affordable eggs.
"We're anticipating a flow-on impact to egg supplies in the coming week and are working as hard as possible to maintain availability," Ms Cucinotta said.
Are supermarkets other than Coles likely to be affected?
Coles is the only supermarket with purchasing limits in place at this stage.
While it is possible that other supermarkets will be affected, Professor Palombo said it would be a commercial decision for supermarket operators.
What happens to infected chickens?
Infected farms are being quarantined and barricaded. The contaminated poultry will then be culled and the sites cleared of infection, which Professor Palombo said was "the only real way to control the outbreak".
Mr Watt said the Victorian government's quick measures were effectively containing the situation.
"The very quick action that Victoria has taken, backed by behind the Commonwealth, has meant that this outbreak has not spread further afield, and we're confident that we can get on top of it quickly," Mr Watts said.
"The Australian government continues to work closely with state and territory governments and industry to manage the current outbreak of Avian Influenza in Victoria," the department spokesperson said.
