Imported beef risks

Meat from Polish, Zimbabwean and South African cattle over 30 months old may pose a slightly higher BSE risk than other imported beef sold legally, Britain's Food Standards Agency has advised.

Although the amount of beef imported into Britain from these countries is very low and the specified risk controls apply, major retailers are already acting to protect the public following discussions with the food industry watchdog.

The first case of BSE in Poland was confirmed on 2 May 2002, and since then, the European Commission (EC) has classified the country as "likely to present a BSE risk". Eleven of the exempt countries, according to EC classification, are highly unlikely to present a BSE risk or to have a risk which is classified as unlikely but which cannot be excluded. No risk assessments have been carried out in South Africa or Zimbabwe.

Specified risk controls, which remove 95 per cent of any infectivity that may be present, apply to all home-produced and imported beef. UK imported beef is inspected to apply these controls.

There have been no imports of beef from Zimbabwe since August 2001, because of foot and mouth restrictions. The latest UK trade statistics for 2001 indicate that there were 41 tonnes of beef imported from Poland and 29 tonnes from South Africa. It is not possible to establish how much of this beef was over 30 months old.

Some Polish beef is known to have been imported into the UK from elsewhere in the EU. Total UK consumption of beef in 2001 was approximately 1.049 million tonnes, according to figures from the Meat and Livestock Commission.

The Agency is asking the EC to expedite risk assessments for Zimbabwe and South Africa. It is also raising its concerns about Polish BSE controls with the Commission.