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BSE as a National and Trans-Boundary Food Safety Emergency

Year of publication 2002

Author Nutrition Division

Product type Meeting

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) A new cattle disease, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) was first identified in 1986. This belongs to a group of diseases known as a Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSE). Although initially the infective agent for BSE was not thought to be capable of infecting humans, there is now evidence to suggest that BSE and a variant of the human TSE, Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease (vCJD), are the same infective agent. These diseases are invariably fatal. The agent that causes BSE is extrem ely resistant to the controls that would normally kill infectious agents such as bacteria and viruses, including cooking. Normal food hygiene measures are therefore ineffective against BSE. The only effective control in relation to human health is therefore to remove the infective agent from the food chain.

Meeting symbol GF 01 7

Language English

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    Book (stand-alone)
    MANAGEMENT OF TRANSMISSIBLE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHIES IN MEAT PRODUCTION - COURSE MANUAL
    Capacit y Building for Surveillance and Prevention of BSE and Other Zoonotic Diseases
    2007
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    To support countries with economies in transition and developing countries in the control and prevention of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), the project Capacity Building for Surveillance and Prevention of BSE and Other Zoonotic Diseases, is the result of collaboration between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Safe Food Solutions Inc. (SAFOSO, Switzerland) and national veterinary offices in partner countries, and funded by the Government of Switz erland. The aim of the project is to build capacity, establish preventive measures and analyse risks for BSE. Partner countries are thus enabled to decrease their BSE risk to an acceptable level or demonstrate that their BSE risk is negligible, and thereby facilitate regional and international trade under the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) of the World Trade Organization (WTO). A brief project summary is included as an appendix to this course manual.
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