Jollibee, McDonald's assure customers chicken meals are bird flu-free

Jollibee Foods Corp. and McDonald's Philippines have assured their customers that they are serving bird flu-free chickens and eggs.

"Jollibee Foods Corporation - the parent company of Jollibee, Mang Inasal, Greenwich, and Burger King Philippines - is not affected by the report avian flu incident in Pampanga," it said in a statement posted on Facebook on Monday night.

It assured the public that "all its poultry products across its brands undergo strict quality standards and are safe for consumption."

McDonald's also assured that its "sources of chicken and eggs are free from the avian flu."

"Customers can continue to enjoy safe and quality chicken and egg products from all our stores nationwide," McDonald's added.

McDonald's also assurd that it is compliant with international and local food safety standards and handling procedures.

Jollibee said that its suppliers have confirmed that they are outside the quarantine range and that their most updated tests show no manifestation of the avian flu that hit poultry farms in Pampanga province.

Jollibee also said that its sources chicken and eggs from "across different areas of the country and maintain a roster of reputable suppliers to ensure continuous, secure and safe supply."

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol on Sunday confirmed that the avian flu strain that hit Pampanga farms is Type A Sub-Type H5.

The World Health Organization said that a Type A avian influenza can infect humans.

Piñol has ordered a ban on the shipment of fowls from Luzon.

The Department of Health (DOH) had assured that the consumption of fowls and eggs in the country is still safe, as long as these are prepared appropriately and cooked at 70 degrees Celsius.

It advised the public to make sure the chicken are cooked well-done, without any pinkish parts.

Concerned government agencies have set up quarantine checkpoints around Pampanga and a one-kilometer quarantine is already being implemented in farms affected by the avian flu outbreak. —ALG, GMA News