The US Department of Agriculture is requesting more information about how the beef industry plans to remove cattle brains and spinal cords from slaughtered cattle in order to prevent BSE, or mad cow disease, from entering the food chain.
Go deeper with GlobalData
The USDA said it wants “public comment on methods used to prevent cross-contamination of carcasses” with cattle brains and spinal cord, reported Reuters.
Certain parts of cattle aged 30 months or older, including the brain, skull, eyes and spinal cord, have been banned from entering the human food supply because BSE is believed to be carried in the brain and central nervous tissue of infected cattle.
It is believed that humans can contract vCJD, the human form of BSE, from eating infected parts of a BSE-infected animal.
This latest move by the USDA is one of a number of steps it is taking in response to the discovery of a single case of BSE in Washington state in December.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalData“We want to see if there is any additional scientific information out there,” Steve Cohen, spokesman for the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, was quoted by Reuters as saying. “We want to make our methods the strongest they can be.”
