NR AUTH
AU anonym
AK Editorial team (eurosurveillance.weekly@hpa.org.uk), Eurosurveillance editorial office
TI BSE-related health risks from goat meat: scientific opinion from the European Food Safety Authority.
QU Euro Surveillance : Bulletin Europeen sur les Maladies Transmissibles = European Communicable Disease Bulletin 2005 Jun 30; 10(6): E050630.3
IA http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ew/2005/050630.asp#3
PT journal article
VT
The risk of exposure to the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) infectious agent from consumption of goat meat by humans is considered to be small, according to the Scientific Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ) at the European Food Safety Authority (http://www.efsa.eu.int) [1]. However, only a qualitative risk assessment based on facts could be carried out, as there was insufficient data for a quantitative risk assessment.
The qualitative risk assessment was based on the following facts:
- Both before and since the first case of BSE was detected in a French goat in January 2005 [2], over 93 000 tests on goats have been carried out in EU member states. So far, none have been found to be positive for BSE (one goat in the United Kingdom with suspicious test results excepted, see below). There has been increased and discriminatory testing of all goat carcasses positive for scrapie to distinguish between BSE and scrapie.
- The goat in France that was positive for BSE was born before 2001 when the ban on feeding MBM to all farm animals came into force. Samples from a UK goat are currently entering final stage testing for BSE, although confirmatory results will not be available for another two years.
- Specified risk materials (SRM, such as brain and spinal cord) are removed from all goats over the age of 12 months, and goats are slaughtered at a young age. This goat SRM rule has been in force since 2001 but the measure is not as stringent as that applied to cattle.
Further information is required for a more rigorous quantitative risk assessment, including:
Further information is required for a more rigorous quantitative risk assessment, including:
- Experimental research data on the infectivity and development of BSE in goats, which could take 3-4 years to complete
- Increased surveillance data on BSE in the European Union goat population: a further 6 months? worth of data is recommended to confirm the initial results so far
It is not known to what extent the BSE infectious agent is distributed throughout the muscle tissue in goats (as it is for scrapie). Should there be other cases of BSE discovered in goats, the EFSA will have to re-evaluate its risk assessment immediately.
There was no change to the scientific advice of the EFSA BIOHAZ panel on the consumption of goat milk and goat milk products. Sourced from healthy animals, these are unlikely to present any risk of transmissible spongiform encelopathy or BSE infection at this time [3].
The risk of exposure to the BSE infectious agent from consumption of sheep meat is yet to be evaluated, as it was felt that goats and sheep should be assessed separately.
References:
1. European Food Safety Authority. Opinion on a quantitative assessment of risk posed to humans by tissues of small ruminants in case BSE is present in these animal populations EFSA Journal 2005; 227: 1-11. (http://www.efsa.eu.int/science/biohaz/biohaz_opinions/990/biohaz_opinion_ej227_bse_goat_en1.pdf)
2. European Commission. Case of BSE in a goat confirmed: Commission extends testing programme. Press release IP/05/105, 28 January 2005. (http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/05/105&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=fr)
3. European Food Safety Authority. EFSA provides preliminary advice on health risks of goat milk and derived products with regards to BSE/TSE. Press release 21 January 2005. (http://www.efsa.eu.int/press_room/press_release/713_en.html)
MH Animals; Cattle; Disease Outbreaks/statistics & numerical data; Encephalopathy, Bovine Spongiform/*epidemiology/*prevention & control; European Union/*organization & administration; Expert Testimony; Food Contamination/prevention & control; Food Industry/standards; Food Poisoning/*epidemiology/microbiology/*prevention & control; Goats/microbiology; Government Agencies/organization & administration; Humans; Incidence; Meat/*microbiology/*standards; Population Surveillance; Risk Assessment/methods; Risk Factors; Science/organization & administration
SP englisch
PO Frankreich