Bird flu concerns hurt poultry product sales

Chinese health officials say there are now five additional cases of the H7N9 bird flu during a span of 24-hours to 5 pm on Thursday. That takes the total number of infected people to 87. Since the outbreak of this new strain of bird flu in Shanghai, many people have become more careful about their choice of food. Poultry in particular, is being avoided by many consumers, causing sales to drop at poultry markets across Shanghai and raising the level of inspections as well.

Workers at this food store on downtown West Nanjing Road say sales of things like pickled duck gizzard and chicken wings are way down, and customers are buying other things instead.

Teng Shuqiong, deputy manager of Shanghai First Foodhall, said, "The sale of poultry-related food has dropped by about 30 percent compared to the same period before. We sell at least ten types of poultry products. Now more customers have switched to fish, beef, nuts such as melon seeds, and soy products."

Many consumers say they're more cautious about buying poultry now, though not everybody is worried.

A consumer said, "I bought beef jerky and dried pork. I won't buy poultry products because I'm afraid of the bird flu virus."

A consumer said, "I'm still eating pickled chicken wings and chicken burgers. I'm not worried about the H7N9 virus because the food is cooked at high temperature and it kills the virus."

The manager says there's not much they can do to increase poultry sales, but they have increased their inspections.

Teng Shuqiong said, "We ask suppliers to provide quarantine reports on their food. We have a third party or our own lab conduct a sample food safety check for poultry at least once a month. But now, since our lab doesn't have facilities to test for the H7N9 virus, we will rely on the designated quarantine department to ensure food safety."

Poultry suppliers are sensitive about food safety. ICS called five major companies, including Lifeng, Laiyifen and Daoxiangcun. Nobody wanted to talk on camera. But they do say the bird flu has already affected their business. Daoxiangcun says it has shut down one of its production lines due to the drop in sales. But just how much money the poultry producers are losing isn't clear.

Special report: H7N9 avian influenza