A Taste of Wellness for Savoury and Snacks
Givaudan
The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) reports this week that spinal cord has been found in another German beef import, bringing the total to 14 for German imported beef since the SRM ban started.
Bovine spinal cord is classified as specified risk material (SRM) and is therefore among those parts of the animal most likely to contain BSE infectivity. Under European law, SRM must be removed immediately after slaughter, stained and disposed of safely.
The discovery, made during an inspection by the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) on 22 October, involved one hindquarter carcass out of a consignment of 179 beef quarters being unloaded at ADM (UK) in Eastbourne.
The FSA writes that the receiving company was not responsible for the problem and the animal is believed to have been slaughtered in Sudfleisch, Waldkraiburg, Bayern on 15 January 2001. Since this time the meat had been held in an intervention cold store in the Netherlands. This is the sixth case (five of them German) of SRM being found in imported intervention beef in the last two months.
The Food Standards Agency took up the issue of SRM in ex-intervention beef with the European Commission earlier this month. As a result the Commission has instructed all EU Member States selling intervention beef to ensure that all spinal cord is removed before release. Intervention' is an EU market support measure under which the EU buys beef (in this case) when market prices fall below a certain level. When market prices recover the EU releases the beef back onto the market.
The beef quarter involved in this latest case has been detained under the Products of Animal Origin (Import and Export) Regulations for disposal under the supervision of the MHS.