Food Safety

At last, Agriculture Ministry moved over revaluation of source of infection of mad cow disease

By JCPRESS

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BSE

It starts verification of "Milk substitute" as questionable source of infection most

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAFF) clarified that this ministry was verifying the milk substitute that contained the animal fat and oil from the Netherlands again about the source of infection and the infection route of the mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) infection cow found in Japan on September 14. This ministry answered the coverage of the Japan Consumer Press (JC-Press).

The MAFF also clarified that it had percussed the participation to the research to the specialist of fodder to investigate the source of infection and the infection route.

Up to now, this ministry had not relaxed posture that the cross contamination to the mixed feed with the meat and bone meal that originated in the infection cow that had been imported from Britain (meat and bone meal intersection pollution theory) was a questionable source of infection.

The MAFF showed posture "Revaluation is necessary for the milk substitute theory" for the first time while it described, "Still, the meat and bone meal intersection pollution theory is incontrovertible". The MAFF speaks the reason for revaluation to begin, "The cases increased up to 20 in Japan. Did the breakout of the mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) infection cow also in the United States and Canada. New data has come out".

All the infection cows from 1 to 7 were drinking the milk substitute of the same manufacturer of Japan Agricultural Co-operatives (JA) group. However, "BSE Epidemiology Examination Team" of the MAFF and this ministry denied the milk substitute theory by a rudimentarily wrong did not do a detailed examination statistical work. Specialists of fodder were criticizing severely to the report of this examination team. The MAFF percussed the participation to the research to the specialist of fodder reacting on such a severe criticism.

Light hits milk substitute buried to the dark

The revaluation of the BSE source of infection and the infection route is a part of risk management type "Epidemiological study such as the BSE source of infections" by "Agriculture, forestry and fisheries research upgrade business that uses state of art" in fiscal year 2005.

The study period is two years from fiscal year 2005. The MAFF post the budget of 40 million yen in total at current year. The accountable person of the research is Prof. Yasuhiro Yoshikawa of Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo. Prof. Yoshikawa researches in cooperation with general manager Toshiyuki Tsutsui in Applied Epidemiology Section of Department of Epidemiology, the National Insitute of Animal Health, the National Agriculture and Bio-oriented Research Organization and chief researcher Kazuya Yamanouchi in the The NIPPON INSTITUTE FOR BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE (NIBS).

Prof. Yoshikawa and chief researcher Yamanouchi are members of Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry "BSE Epidemiology Examination Team" that put the report of BSE infection cows' up to seven source of infection and infection routes together in September, 2003.

This Examination Team was recognizing that they were not able to disregard the fact that all of the seven cows had been drinking the milk substitute manufactured in the shop of the same manufacturer at that time. However, this Team describes, "We cannot say that the use of the milk substitute related to the BSE", and has dismissed "Milk substitute theory". And, the Team showed the conclusion with high possibility for the meat and bone meal for the mixed feed for the cow to intersect and to pollute at manufacturing and the delivery stage in the feed mill where the production line for the cow, the pig, and the chicken had been shared.

Prof. Katsunosuke Mitani of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences of Hiroshima University objected for this report. Prof. Mitani published the rebuttal in the bulletin of the stock raising system study association that composed of the specialist, the enterprise, administration, and the citizens of livestock industry (published in February, 2004). Prof. Mitani was requesting a thorough investigation of the source of infection and the infection route pointing out, "The report of the research team became a consequence that concealed an important point 'The possibility of the source of infection of the BSE breakout that was calf's fodder is high'" with the thesis. And, this professor criticized the report, "The investigation that was to have investigated the source of infection and the infection route buried the cause oppositely in the dark".

Assistant manager Tomomi Sugisaki of the Sanitary Supervision section of Food Safety and Consumer Affairs Bureau of the MAFF comments on September 14, "Revaluation is a story as the budget at current year was post that has advanced the procedure since before". And, Assistant Manager Sugisaki stressed the change in the lag and the environment , saying that "BSE infection cow's cases increased up to 20 in Japan. Did the breakout of the infection cow in the United States and Canada. New data has come out".

In addition, Sugisaki points out, "We judged that we had to probat the milk substitute for not only the cross contamination with the meat and bone meal but also 'BSE Epidemiology Examination Team' to touch by the report two years ago neatly". He speaks at the same time, "The examination team will assess the milk substitute separately by the group. The MAFF percussed the participation to the research to the specialist of fodder".

Government and local government should continue substantial blanket-test all cattle for mad cow disease until effect of countermeasure is ascertained

Comment of Prof. Katsunosuke Mitani of Hiroshima University graduate school

The investigation of the source of infection and the infection route is basic of the BSE countermeasure. It might be difficult to specify the source of infection completely. But, they will be able to list the source of infection and the infection route with the possibilities.

Up to now, 20 BSE infection cows affirmed in Japan have formed the group to the condition such as cows that were the born between 1995 and 1996 and cows that were born after 1999. It is not understood now whether to have polluted a domestic raw material from the first infection group's being processed. But, there is a possibility being given for the milk substitute that contains powdery oils and fats from the Netherlands also in of the eighth example and the ninth example among 20 BSE infection cows. It is necessary to add plasma protein and the raw material from the United States that the examination team and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry did not touch by "Report" to the research objective.

The municipality that receives the subsidy in the country continues the blanket-test all cattle for mad cow disease while the Japanese Government loosens the blanket-test. Japan has managed the countermeasure from various aspects from the fodder regulation to the intersection pollution abatement. The government and the local government should continue a substantial blanket-test all cattle for mad cow disease until the effect of such a countermeasure is ascertained.

On the other hand, the safety of beef from the United States is a problem that should be secured by the inspection and BSE pollution status grasp by the United States.

Japan Consumer Press Sep 15, 2005 No.717 , online published : Oct 13, 2005

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