The US beef industry has dismissed fears regarding bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), after the US Department of Agriculture confirmed an atypical case of the disease in Alabama.
The incident involved an 11-year-old cow that was reportedly tested positive for the atypical L-type of BSE, after exhibiting clinical signs at an Alabama livestock market.
USDA has confirmed that the cow “never entered slaughter channels and at no time presented any risk to the food supply”, while the disease was discovered through “routine surveillance”.
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) clarified in a statement that “this type is very different than the classical type of BSE, which occurred mainly in the United Kingdom in the 1980s” and said: “BSE is not contagious and the cow announced today posed no risk to human health.
“The bottom line: all U.S. beef is safe.”
NCBA added: “USDA’s ongoing BSE surveillance program has tested more than one million cattle since the program began.
“The incidence of BSE in the United States is extremely low, and will remain so.”
The US has a ‘Negligible BSE Risk” status from the World Organization for Animal Health.
NCBA commends USDA and animal health experts for effectively identifying and controlling the potential risks associated with BSE.
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
