Only two EU countries meet UK beef standards

23 July 1997

Only two EU countries meet UK beef standards

Within the European Union, only Ireland and Portugal, enforce controls against bovine spongiform encephalophathy (BSE) to meet UK standards. According to The Times, most member states have no requirement for removing so-called “specified risk materials” from cattle carcasses.

Abattoirs in Britain remove brain, eyes, spinal cord, spleen, thymus, tonsils and intestines, which have all been identified as potential carriers of BSE.

Britain has reported more than 167,000 cases of BSE since 1986. Seven other EU member states – Ireland, Portugal, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Italy and Germany – have between them reported just 321 cases.