LONDON, Jan. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- http://www.just-food.com/ -- According to scientists, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan and Sri Lanka may be the next countries to fall foul of BSE after buying potentially tainted animal feed from Britain during the UK epidemic.
A special report at http://just-food.com/features_detail.asp?art=359 explains that UK export data could be vital in pinpointing where the fatal disease will strike next.
European imports declined from 1990 onwards, after the
practice of feeding crushed animal carcasses to cattle was linked with BSE.
However, Indonesia started importing British feedstuffs from 1991, with
the largest consignment of 20,060 tonnes in 1993. Thailand, Taiwan and Sri
Lanka imported increasing quantities during the late 1980s and early
1990s.
The spread of the disease from Britain has devastated the beef
industries of European countries that imported animal feed after the UK's
first BSE case was discovered in 1986. Scientists believe any further
spread depends on how much meat and bone meal has been included in animal
feed. Ian McGill, a scientist who worked at Britain's farm ministry at the
heart of the BSE crisis, said, "It really depends on what has
happened to this meat and bone meal, but it's a very, very messy business
and a very, very messy trade indeed. You would expect the first cases (in
Asian countries) within three or four years, but it really depends on how
much they are recycling on their own." "The industrialised system whereby this potentially toxic material
has been exported everywhere does pose a risk," he continued. "I
think we need to look at how industrialised farming got one bad apple in
the cart and the entire world is put at risk." For the full story, click here: http://just-food.com/features_detail.asp?art=359 just-food.com is the premier online portal for food industry
professionals worldwide. Targeted specifically at industry and business
professionals the site provides a single point of reference for
independent food industry information. SOURCE: just-food.com WEB SITE: http://www.just-food.com/ ST: England
This press release may not be redistributed without prior written approval by PR Newswire.