“Dunbia NI recalls meat products”
Over thirty month cattle cannot enter the food chain without first passing a BSE test. When a 54 month old cow was wrongly identified it was mixed with tissues from other animals resulting in 21 products being potentially contaminated with BSE. The products were withdrawn to be disposed of as animal by products. The news report did not say whether or not there was evidence of BSE in any of products.
On the 12th of December FSA reported that an untested cow of 30 months and 10 days age had entered the food chain without being tested. The meat was supplied to a farm shop.
Comment
These incidents could give rise to anxiety in spite of official assurances that the risk is very low.
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Health Protection Agency 18th January 2007
“4th case of variant CJD infection associated with blood transfusion”
Diagnosis occurred nine years after receiving a blood transfusion from someone who later developed vCJD. Thus far 66 people are known to have received a blood transfusion (as opposed to plasma products) from one of 18 donors who later developed vCJD. All 26 survivors in this group are advised to take steps to reduce the risk of further dissemination e.g. during surgery and not to be blood or other tissue donors. Since April 2004, blood donations have not been accepted from people who have themselves received a blood transfusion in the UK since 1980.