Sausages a BSE risk, says expert

Pate, sausages, and other processed meat imported from Europe are a BSE loophole that ought to be closed, Britain's leading expert on the mad cow disease epidemic said today.

Professor Roy Anderson, chief epidemiologist at Imperial College London, said. "I've been on and on at the Food Standards Agency for some time. All I can do is keep plugging away at the areas in which I think that there are scientific frailties."

As cases of BSE fall in Britain, they are rising sharply across Europe. However, unlike Britain, there is no requirement in Europe to remove animals aged over 30 months from the food chain. Instead, all animals aged over 30 months are tested for BSE when slaughtered.

"Having the testing is a good thing," said Prof Anderson, "but the sensitivity of the test is an issue that must be addressed."

The risk from imported processed foods was probably "low to negligible" he said, but it was not possible to assess the risk properly.

"You have to keep these things in perspective, but as the epidemic continues in Europe it is something you have to keep an eye on."

He opposed any change to the UK rule of slaughtering at 30 months, which is now under reconsideration.

More food & drink