Some middle school students in China started using Rapid Antigen Tests(RATs) for Influenza A virus to conduct surveillance on imported bulk milk products since 2024. So far, their results remain negative. Unlike the regular approaches from virologists looking for infectious viral particles or trace of viral RNA, these students were seeking evidence of remaining viral proteins in the bulk milk products after pasteurization, by applying a rather less sensitive, but affordable methodology. F.I.C received various reports from different groups of these students in 2024 and asked several questions.

Q: Why are you doing this?
As: Teenagers, as consumers, we want to know the ingredients of the milk, if there are viral particles high enough to be detected by Rapid Antigen Tests, the manufacturers should at least list that information on the labels so we can make our own choice; We saw positive results of Rapid Antigen Tests with raw milk from social media, thus we assume we can test imported bulk milk products with the similar tool.
Q: What will you do if you ever find a positive sample?
As: Submit the milk samples to the authoritative experts for further confirmation; Locate the herds and warn the owners (if possible) .
Q: Sourcing and Rapid Antigen Tests of imported bulk milk?
As: Milk was purchased through online apps by targeting manufacturing countries such as USA, Canada, EU countries etc, using our own allowance; RATs were also purchased through online apps.
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Though RATs could be a useful tool at dairy farms for first-line screening in the occasion of suspected sick cows, the performance of RATs on bulk milk products against influenza virus remains unclear. F.I.C will publish future updates of these teenagers´ surveillance on bulk milk products in respect of their efforts.