beef information

October 2005

The new BSE Testing System for older cattle

On the FSA's advice, the Government agreed in Dec 2004 that is was disproportionate to the level of risk to continue with a ban on cattle aged over 30 months from entering the food chain. Instead they agreed to test all cattle born after July 1996 and aged over 30 months at the time of slaughter and allow only negative ones to go into the food supply.

To find out more about this new test please click on BSE and Beef New Controls Explained to download the FSA's information booklet.

July 2005

Choose Beef Advert which is appearing in many newspapers and womens magazines during the beginning of July 2005

The Choose Beef campaign has been produced to dispel the myths around the healthiness of eating lean beef. As well as being a food that many love to eat it's also full of a wide range of nutrients that are a great help as part of a balanced diet

For general nutritional advice and 6 great tasting beef recipes click here to download the 'Choose Beef' booklet or call 01908 844725 or email us with your address details.

For healthcare professionals there is a spiral bound tabulated 'Good Fat Guide' containing detailed information on one side for the Health Care Professional (HCP) and more simplistic text on the reverse of each page for use with patients. To order a copy log on to www.meatandhealth.co.uk

January 2003

BSE and Food Safety Controls

British control measures for BSE are now amongst the strictest in the World, whilst the fact that only beef from prime cattle is available for consumption ensures that quality as well as safety is of very high standards. The effectiveness of these measures is illustrated by the high consumer confidence in beef as well as sales, which are now greater than in 1995.

What is BSE?

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) is a fatal nervous disease of cattle. It was first diagnosed in Britain in 1986. Since then BSE cases have also been reported in a number of other countries.

BSE is thought to have been caused by the consumption of infected cattle feed, which was banned in Britain in 1988. The disease had been controlled by preventing the use of mammalian protein in cattle and other farm animal feed.

At the peak of BSE in 1993 1,000 cases were being diagnosed each week. This has fallen consistently and the disease is now under control in the UK.

Controlling BSE

The Government has assumed since 1988 that BSE could affect human health, although no conclusive proof has yet been found. The first public health protection measures were put in place in November 1988. Those measures have since been extended and strengthened in accordance with advice from an independent scientific advisory committee – SEAC (Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee.)

BSE is a notifiable disease. Every case notified is investigated by a Government Veterinary surgeon. No test to identify BSE within live cattle exists. Those cattle suspected of having BSE are slaughtered and tested. The disease is then confirmed or negated and the animal is incinerated.

Protecting Consumers

Since BSE was first identified as a potential threat to human health, a number of effective measures have been taken to protect consumers.

Controls on Specified Risk Material (SRM) ensure that all tissue susceptible to infection is removed in the abattoir and destroyed, thus preventing it from reaching the food chain.
Bovine vertebrae cannot be used in the production of mechanically recovered meat.
A ban on the use of meat and bone meal (MBM) in feed for all farm animals has been in place since 1996. This became law across the European Community in 2000. The effectiveness of the ban is demonstrated by the fact that none of the 80,000 samples of feed tested since 1996 breached the MBM legislation.
A ban on bone in beef was imposed in December 1997, despite the fact that it posed only a tiny theoretical threat to human health. This ban was lifted in 1999.
All cattle are identified and registered in accordance with European Union regulations, ensuring high levels of identification and traceability
Since April 1996 there has been a general ban on cattle over 30 months entering the human food chain. To date over five million cattle over this age have been slaughtered and disposed of by incineration.

Consumer Confidence

Consumer confidence in beef in Britain is higher than pre-BSE levels in 1995. This is reflected by beef sales, which have exceeded 1995 sales every year since 1999.

Quality

Over 50% of all British beef is now sourced from the beef suckler herd, guaranteeing high levels of quality and consistency.

Beef Labelling Regulations

A new set of EU beef labelling regulations came into full force at the beginning of 2002. These regulations are designed to give consumers more information than ever before about the origin of the beef they purchase and greater reassurance on quality and food safety.

It is now compulsory for all beef and veal products covered by the regulations to carry a traceability code and details of its country of origin. The regulations also control the use of other information appearing on labels.

What products are covered by the regulations

All fresh and frozen beef (including veal) must comply with the beef labelling rules. This includes all cuts such as quarters and sirloin or rump steak. Minced beef and uncooked beef burgers with no added ingredients (eg soya protein, cereal binder) are also covered by the regulations. Products not covered include:

Seasoned uncooked meat where the seasoning is either visible to the naked eye or clearly distinguishable by taste.
Beef in processed products, eg processed beef burgers, steak and kidney pies or ready meals.
All cooked beef products.
Beef products sold in food service outlets such as restaurants and pubs. (Here labelling information is given to caterers so they can provide accurate details to customers on request.)

Traceablility

Under the Regulations, all beef products covered must be labelled with a traceability code at all stages of the supply chain within all EU member states. This code allows the meat to be traced back, stage by stage, to the specific animal or animals from which it originated.

Origin

The regulations also require the country of origin of the product to be clearly indicated on the label. To ensure that the “origin” is meaningful, four pieces of information must be provided:

The country where the animal was born.
The country or countries where the animal was raised.
The country where the animal was slaughtered, and the official number of the abattoir*
The country or countries where the meat was cut, and the official number* or address of each relevant premises. *Note: official numbers are those allocated by the authorities to premises licenced for slaughtering or cutting meat.

What To Look For in The Shops

Most pre-packed beef must be labeled on its packaging. For non-pre-packed beef and beef pre-packed on the premises where it is sold, the information must be displayed clearly and visibly for all consumers and linked to the beef concerned. The labeling regulations also cover information given at the point of sale in advertisements, posters, announcements and leaflets associated with the beef.

Other Information

The regulations also cover additional information given voluntarily on beef labels. This must be approved in advance by the authorities and its accuracy verified by an independent approved organisation. In the UK, separate beef labelling authorities operate in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Pre-approval is needed for statements such as ‘farm assured’, ‘grass-fed’, terms such as ‘halal’ or ‘kosher’ or any reference to origin relating to an area smaller than a country. For example, a label using the words ‘English beef’ requires pre-approval, whereas ‘British beef’ does not. Product labelled ‘British beef’ must come from animals born, reared and slaughtered entirely within the UK and is therefore permitted by the compulsory country of origin information rules.

In general, the beef labelling regulations do not cover information controlled by other EU legislation or that, which can be verified at the point of sale. This includes:

The name of the cut of meat
Weight
‘Best before’ date or ‘Use by’ date
Storage and cooking instructions
Name and address of the manufacturer, packer or seller.