BSE case confirmed in Alberta, Canada
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed that bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) has been discovered in a beef cow, in Alberta.
It is the first confirmed case in the country since 2011, and was picked up via Canada’s national BSE surveillance program, which analyses 30,000 samples annually.
Investigations into how the animal became infected will focus on the feed supplied during the first year of its life.
The Agency said it would also trace all animals of equivalent risk. These animals will then be destroyed and tested for BSE.
The CFIA confirmed that no part of the animal’s carcase had entered the human food chain or animal feed systems.
Following the discovery of BSE, South Korea has suspended the import of Canadian beef, pending further information on the case.
