Cattle aged over 30 months enter food supply without being tested for BSE
Wednesday 30 September 2009
The Agency has been notified that meat from three imported cows aged over 30 months, which were not tested for BSE, has entered the food supply.
As specified risk material (SRM) was removed and it is unlikely that the cows were infected with BSE, any risk to human health is extremely low.
The three cows were aged between 31 and 34 months when slaughtered on 1 July 2009 at RWM Food Group’s abattoir in Langport, Somerset. They had been imported from Estonia in December 2007. BSE testing is mandatory for cattle born there if slaughtered for human consumption at over 30 months of age.
The error was discovered on 7 September 2009 during routine cross checks of slaughter and BSE test data. By the time the failure was discovered, all of the carcasses had left the premises and subsequent enquiries indicate that the affected meat is no longer in the food supply chain.
Background to BSE testing
Since the beginning of this year, the BSE testing age increased to over 48 months for cattle born in the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Cattle aged over 30 months and born in any other country, including Estonia, are only allowed to enter the food supply if they have first tested negative for BSE. If there is no BSE test, all parts of the carcass must be condemned.
SRM is those parts of the animal that contain almost all BSE infectivity, if the animal is infected with BSE. SRM includes the vertebral column of cattle aged over 30 months.
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