Final rule set on animal feed

[April 24, 2008]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday it has made final a rule banning certain cattle parts from animal and pet food as part of the effort to prevent the spread of mad cow disease.

The regulation originally was instituted in 2005.

Materials prohibited from pet and animal feed are tissues that have the highest risk for carrying bovine spongiform encephalopathy, the technical term for the disease.

These include the brains and spinal cords from cattle 30 months of age and older. The entire carcass of cattle not inspected and passed for human consumption is also prohibited, unless the cattle are less than 30 months of age, or the brains and spinal cords have been removed.

The risk of BSE in cattle less than 30 months of age is considered to be exceedingly low.

The final rule takes effect in 12 months.

Materials that pose a risk of the human-form of the disease have been banned from the human food supply since 1997.

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On the Net:

FDA Final BSE rule: http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/bse.html

[Associated Press]

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