The rapid spread of the deadly bird flu could make it harder to get your morning bacon, eggs and cheese.
This week, McDonald’s announced that restaurants in Australia will no longer serve breakfast 90 minutes earlier, as the country’s egg supply has been hit by outbreaks of bird flu.
“Like many retailers, we are carefully managing our egg supply due to current challenges in the industry,” the company said in a Facebook post Tuesday.
In the US, the H5N1 virus is spreading rapidly through infected eggs, beef and unpasteurized milk, prompting US experts to warn of a “pandemic potential.”
As the virus rages on, food safety experts told DailyMail.com that the U.S. food industry is “generally well prepared” for the challenge. But continued monitoring is “critical” to maintaining that stability.
McDonald’s has not yet responded to a request for comment from DailyMail.com.
McDonald’s has announced that restaurants in Australia will serve breakfast 90 minutes earlier due to egg shortages caused by bird flu outbreaks
The map above shows the states where avian influenza infections in cattle have been reported
Dr Darin Detwiler, a former food safety advisor to the FDA and USDA, told DailyMail.com: ‘The situation in Australia, where McDonald’s is restricting breakfast availability due to a shortage of eggs caused by bird flu, highlights the potential vulnerabilities in food supply chains as a result of disease outbreaks.’
‘While the current situation in Australia is concerning, it does not necessarily predict a similar immediate impact in the US.’
He added: ‘Nevertheless, it serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining biosecurity measures and having adaptive strategies to deal with unexpected challenges in the food supply chain.
In Australia, bird flu has been confirmed in 11 poultry farms in the south-east of the country, resulting in the culling of 1.5 million birds to limit the spread.
McDonald’s stores will now stop serving breakfast at 10:30 a.m., 90 minutes earlier than the original closing time of 12:00 p.m.
“We are working hard with our Australian farmers and suppliers to get back to normal as quickly as possible,” the company said on Tuesday.
And Australian supermarket Woolworth’s announced it would limit customers to just two packs of eggs per week. The limit applies to the regions of New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria.
“Like other retailers, we are expecting a short delay in stock from one of our egg suppliers in NSW, ACT and Victoria due to the temporary closure of one of their packing sheds,” a Woolworths spokesperson said.
“The situation in Australia, where McDonald’s is restricting breakfast availability due to a shortage of eggs caused by bird flu, highlights the potential vulnerabilities in food supply chains as a result of disease outbreaks,” said Dr Detwiler.
McDonald’s in the US has not announced any restrictions or upcoming menu changes to address the outbreak. However, bird flu has spread to both poultry and livestock.
A check mark indicates that the food tested positive for bird flu, while a cross indicates that the food tested for bird flu but did not contain the virus.
The above shows how bird flu is getting closer to human transmission in the US
According to the CDC, more than 136 dairy herds in 12 states have been affected as of July 1.
Like Australia, the US has also culled several poultry farms to contain the virus.
In May, officials in Sioux County, Iowa, confirmed that 4.2 million birds had been killed after avian flu was found among the birds.
A month earlier, another 2 million birds were culled after bird flu was reported at Cal-Maine Foods, the largest egg producer in the US.
And St. Louis-based Post Holdings said in May that bird flu outbreaks had affected two-thirds of its almost 14 percent of its egg supply – approximately 5.7 million laying hens.
Federal health authorities have not reported an egg shortage, although production has declined.
A May report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) found that egg production in April 2024 was down 1 percent from the same period last year, and the number of egg-laying birds was down 2 percent.
Dr. Detwiler noted that unlike smaller countries like Australia, “the US has a robust and diverse agricultural sector, with multiple regions contributing to the supply of eggs and beef.”
“This diversification can help alleviate local shortages. However, if there is a severe and widespread outbreak, it could put pressure on the supply chain.”
He also noted that U.S. fast-food chains typically have contingency plans to handle any disruptions in the supply chain, including sourcing alternative suppliers, removing ingredients from menus or changing portion sizes.
“One problem is that ‘shrinkflation’ is often associated with economic decisions, rather than availability issues. As a result, consumers sometimes don’t know what the real cause is,” he said.
Australia is not the only country whose egg production has been hit hard by the egg shortage caused by bird flu.
In Japan, 17 million chickens were culled last season due to bird flu, or almost one in ten laying hens. BBC reported.
This led to 18 companies blocking the sale of egg products last year, including McDonald’s Teritama Muffin, which contains eggs, and several sandwiches at 7-Eleven.
“It is understandable that we are aware of these risks and are concerned about them, but at this time the U.S. food industry is generally well prepared to address and mitigate such challenges,” said Dr. Detwiler.
‘Continuous monitoring and proactive measures are crucial to ensure stability in the supply of eggs and beef.’