Spinal cord has been found in two consignments of beef imported from Poland into the UK.
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Bovine spinal cord is most likely to contain BSE infectivity and is therefore classified as specified risk material (SRM). Beef from Poland entering the European Union (EU) must meet EU standards, including the removal of SRM immediately after slaughter, before they are exported.
The first discovery was made on 18 March in one forequarter out of 268 quarters of beef being unloaded at ADM Ltd, Eastbourne. The beef came from Sokolow S.A. Oddzial, in Kole, Poland.
On Tuesday 19 March, a second consignment of 238 beef quarters from a second meat plant in Poland was also found to contain one quarter carcass with spinal cord still attached whilst being unloaded at ADM. The beef came from Zaklady Miense Bialystok, in Bialystok, Poland.
Imports of meat from Poland are subject to EU controls, and have to satisfy, among other requirements, EU controls on SRM, which require that spinal cord is removed in the slaughterhouse of origin.
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By GlobalDataThese finds of SRM in imported beef are the twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth instances since 1 January 2001. They are the first ones to involve carcass beef from a non-EU country.
Veterinary Director of the Food Standards Agency (FSA), Debby Reynolds, said: “Any find of SRM is illegal and a serious matter. There is no risk to public health, as the affected meat has been removed from the food chain. I am grateful that the Meat Hygiene Service took prompt action to detain and destroy these two pieces of meat.
“These cases show the importance and effectiveness of the UK’s strict controls. The breaches have been reported to the European Commission who share our view that the findings are not acceptable and Poland must reinforce BSE controls immediately. This is a very important warning.”
The finds have also been notified to the veterinary authorities in Poland, who have taken swift action. The authorisations to export beef of both meat plants involved have been suspended, and the Polish authorities are conducting an urgent review of controls in those plants.
In these cases, the documents indicate that the meat was transported by road from Poland to the cross-Channel ferry at Ostend, and then to the UK. The meat was subject to border controls when it entered the EU. In both of these cases, the consignments entered the EU at the German Border Inspection Post (BIP) at Frankfurt-an-der-Oder. The documentation shows that the BIP carried out the documentation checks required by EU law.
The two beef quarters have been detained under the Products of Animal Origin (Import and Export) Regulations, pending inspection and disposal under the supervision of the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS). The remainder of the two consignments was checked by the MHS and found to be in full compliance with the relevant legislation.
