WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2336/96 by Hiltrud BREYER to the Commission. Beef and other parts of cattle carcases used as a raw material in the foodstuffs industry
Date: 1996-08-27
Institutions: BREYER, European Parliament
Subjects: European standard, animal disease, beef, foodstuff, human nutrition, marketing, meat product, milk, preserved product, product safety













EUR-Lex - 91996E2336 - EN






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91996E2336

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2336/96 by Hiltrud BREYER to the Commission. Beef and other parts of cattle carcases used as a raw material in the foodstuffs industry  


Official Journal C 072 , 07/03/1997 P. 0030 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-2336/96 by Hiltrud Breyer (V) to the Commission (27 August 1996)Subject: Beef and other parts of cattle carcases used as a raw material in the foodstuffs industry1. The question is repeatedly raised as to the safety of milk and gelatine from BSE infected cattle. What findings are there on this subject?2. How safe are BALM-regulated tinned products (Bundesanstalt für landwirtschaftliche Marktordnung) which take some time to reach the market? What is the basis for its assessment?3. What risks exist in the case of rennet and ox gall?4. According to guidelines beef may be used for many types of sausage. Which types are particularly affected?5. The Federal Ministry for Food, Agriculture and Forestry has developed a method to indicate whether meat and bone meal has been heated adequately. Can this method already be used routinely?6. What findings are there on the use of which raw materials derived from cattle in finished products? Which raw materials are used?Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (13 November 1996)1. The scientific evidence presently available suggests that milk does not transmit spongiform encephalopathies. There is wide scientific consensus on the safety of gelatin if produced by manufacturing processes utilizing production conditions which have been demonstrated to inactivate any residual infectivity that may have been present in source tissues.The Commission has asked the scientific veterinary committee for its advice on milk and gelatin in the light of recent information on maternal transmission and on the efficacy of gelatin production methods for the inactivation of the agents of spongiform encephalopathies.2. The Commission has no information about the safety considerations of Bundesanstalt für landwirtschaftliche Marktordnung (Balm) and the Balm-registered tinned products.3. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) infectivity has only been detected in clinical cases in cattle in the central nervous and lymphoreticular systems and the retina. The Commission has no scientific information on BSE infectivity of rennet or ox bile.4. There are no Community rules specifying which sausages may contain beef.5. The Commission is not aware of the details of the German method referred to which could be used routinely to check on compliance with Community standards for the processing of meat-and-bone meal, but would be pleased to receive data for evaluation.6. Any raw materials from cattle which have been passed fit for human consumption following ante-and post-mortem inspection in accordance with Community rules may be used as ingredients in foodstuffs. The Commission does not have a list of such raw materials or finished products.