UK food agency to investigate failures in BSE testing programme

The Food Standards Agency is investigating an apparent failure by the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) to test some casualty cattle aged between 24 and 30 months for BSE before they entered the food chain. The FSA considers that any risk that might have arisen from these animals entering the food chain without having been tested was minimal.

This is because specified risk material controls (SRM) had been applied, which remove at least 99% of any infectivity that may be present, and the fact that no cattle under 30 months have shown clinical BSE symptoms in the UK for eight years. In addition, there have been no BSE positives from more than 2,800 of these casualty cattle tested to date in the UK. Action has been taken to ensure that the testing requirements are now being fully met.

The requirement to test these cattle was introduced by the European Commission in June 2001 to 'provide an early warning system of any unfavourable trend in the incidence of BSE'. Before that requirement, these cattle entered the food chain without testing although, as now, with all specified risk material (SRM) removed. The risk from animals treated in this way was considered minimal.

The Agency reported at its public Board meeting on 13 May 2004 that five such casualty cattle had entered the food chain without being tested for BSE. Further reports from the Meat Hygiene Service now indicate that there could have been around 200 cases since January 2003.

Steps have been taken to ensure that the testing requirements are now being fully met. Nevertheless, the Chair of the Food Standards Agency, Sir John Krebs, has ordered a full investigation.

He said: 'Testing of casualty cattle was introduced to track the level of BSE that may be present and, while the risk is minimal, I consider these apparent failures unacceptable.

'The risk is minimal because clinical BSE has not been seen in UK cattle under 30 months since 1996 and SRM controls have been applied. However, we need to be confident that all measures are properly enforced – both food safety and surveillance – if BSE risks are to be effectively managed. A report on this investigation will be made public.'

The BSE testing programme is carried out by the Meat Hygiene Service on behalf of the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs. The MHS is an Executive Agency of the Food Standards Agency.