BSE controls explained: FSA advice on imported beef and beef products
Thursday 8 October 2009
All Member States must ensure that beef and beef products comply with controls contained in the Community TSE Regulation 999/2001 (as amended).
All consignments of meat and meat products imported into the EU must be accompanied by a health declaration, which confirms that certain TSE controls, appropriate to the BSE risk level in that country, have been applied.
In addition, the declaration should state that the meat has been produced to eqivalent standards to Member States.
Random or intelligence-based checks are made on imported carcase beef entering approved cutting plants by the Meat Hygiene Service to ensure that all specified risk material has been removed. Any consignments, which contain SRM are rejected and destroyed. There have been a number of incidents since 2001, which are listed on this website.
To help consumers know where the beef they buy comes from, the Food Standards Agency has issued country of origin labelling guidance. Beef labelling regulations, which cover cuts of beef and minced meat, require the origin of beef to be given (see the link to the RPA website below for more information on this).