Imported cow aged over 30 months not tested for BSE

Monday 25 January 2010

The Agency has been notified that a cow aged over 30 months and imported from Romania has not been tested for BSE.

The cow, which was born in Romania, was imported to the UK in December 2007. On 8 October 2009, the cow was slaughtered at P J King’s abattoir in Whaddon, near Gloucester aged 38½ months. BSE testing is mandatory for cattle born in Romania if they are slaughtered for human consumption at over 30 months of age.

The error was discovered on 9 December during routine cross-checks of slaughter and BSE test data. Subsequent checks indicated that by the time the error was discovered, the carcass had left the premises and that the meat was no longer in the food supply chain. However, as specified risk material (see below) was removed, and it is unlikely that the cow was infected with BSE, any risk to human health is extremely low.

Background to BSE testing
Cattle aged over 48 months must be BSE tested before entering the food supply if born in one of the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom. Cattle aged over 30 months and born in any other country, including Romania, are only allowed to enter the food supply if they have tested negative for BSE. If there is no BSE test, all parts of the carcase must be condemned.

Specified risk material (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.