Posted January 23, 2014
German officials have identified one case of bovine spongiform encephalitis (BSE), also known as “Mad Cow Disease”, according to a Food Safety News article available here.
This is the first reported case in Germany since 2009. While the animal did not show symptoms of BSE, it was tested for the disease because it was 10 years old. It tested positive for an “atypical type of BSE, L-type, which develops spontaneously in older cattle.” The cow was destroyed and none of the meat entered the human food chain.
Germany’s BSE screening protocol requires any beef cattle older than eight years to be tested for BSE, according to an article by the Journal Star available here.
While BSE is not considered contagious, the diseased cow’s herd has been quarantined until further testing is completed.
BSE originated “with the practice of feeding cattle meat and bone meal, a substitute for soy beans, which can be difficult to grow in Europe.” BSE causes variant Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease (vCJD), which humans can contract from eating meat contaminated with brain or spinal tissue from cattle infected with BSE. BSE is particularly worrisome because it is not destroyed when cooked.
The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently announced a final rule that will align the Agency’s import regulations for BSE with international standards. Additional information on the final rule is available here.
For more information on food safety, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
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