§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what uses are still permitted for those cattle offals now banned for use for human consumption.
§ Mr. MacleanBovine offal which has been banned from human consumption is normally removed at the slaughterhouse, or, in the case of bovine brain, at a specialist boning plant.
If the material is sterilised, it is subject to the general prohibition on its use for human consumption. If not sterilised, it may be moved only under a local authority movement permit and must either be stained and taken to a rendering plant or licensed waste food processor or, if unstained, may be used only in the production of non-food products such as strings for musical instruments or sports equipment, in medical, veterinary or other research premises or in the manufacture of pharmaceutical products.
Special guidelines on the use of bovine material were circulated to the pharmaceutical industry in March 1989.
The feeding of ruminant-based protein to ruminants is prohibited by the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (No. 2) Order 1988 as amended.