McDonald's Australia has announced a cut in breakfast hours due to a nationwide egg shortage caused by bird flu outbreaks, CNBC reported. The fast-food giant will now serve breakfast until 10:30 AM instead of noon.
Australia has been battling the avian influenza virus for several months, leading to the euthanization of about one million egg-laying hens to control the spread of the disease. The country's Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry acknowledged that this drastic measure has greatly reduced egg availability, impacting various sectors, including the food industry.
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Australia Egg Shortage
The Australian government has also stated that consumers may encounter empty shelves in the short term as supplies are redirected to areas with the greatest need, which is why McDonald's is affected.
In addition to the fast food industry's response to the egg shortage, major Australian retailers Coles and Woolworths have also imposed purchase limits. Starting July 3, they will restrict customers to two cartons of eggs per transaction.
However, the government assured the public that there had been no impact on the supply of chicken meat.
Rowan McMonnies, Managing Director of industry group Australian Eggs, reassured consumers that over 20 million hens are still in the care of hundreds of egg farmers across Australia, who are working hard to ensure eggs remain available.
The Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) maintains that avian influenza is not a food safety concern and that adequately cooked chicken meat, eggs, and egg products are safe to eat.
For now, a recent development from the US government signified that there are already efforts to make bird flu vaccine after Moderna received a $176 million grant, according to VCPost,
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