Failures let cattle slip through BSE safety net, agency finds

Published on 12/10/2004 00:55

A SERIES of failures allowed cattle into the human food chain without being tested for BSE, an investigation by the Food Standards Agency has found.

The FSA started an inquiry in June after it emerged that "casualty" cattle - sick or injured animals - had slipped through the net without proper checks. The agency’s report highlights poor training, confusion and inadequate monitoring within systems designed to safeguard against the potential risks posed by the BSE disease.

After two infected cattle went untested in Scotland last year, subsequent checks showed an estimated 261 cattle had slipped through the testing procedures since 1 January 2003 at 55 UK abattoirs.

The FSA ordered the investigation by a steering group of experts led by Patrick Wall, professor of food safety at University College, Dublin.