Scientific Opinion on a review of the BSE-related risk in bovine intestines

The opinion reviews a 2007 opinion of the French Food Safety Agency (AFSSA), which, referring to the current situation in France, concluded that the current removal of the whole intestine from bovine animals of all ages as specified risk material could be limited to the ileum. It is concluded that the model used in the AFSSA opinion is an appropriate tool to estimate the Classical BSE prevalence in cattle cohorts in countries with extensive surveillance systems and the maximum number of undetected Classical BSE cases that could enter into the food chain in a particular country. It is concluded that the AFSSA methodology cannot be used to make inference to situations other than the French situation to assess the Classical BSE-related risk in bovine intestines. The new scientific data available are reviewed. These data, which add some new elements, concur and confirm the presence of limited amounts of PrPSc and/or infectivity in parts of the intestine other than ileum of Classical BSE infected cattle under experimental inoculation (jejunum) and natural exposure (distal jejunum and colon). The new scientific information further confirms the presence of consistent amounts of PrPSc and infectivity in the ileum of Classical BSE infected cattle under experimental inoculation and natural exposure. Due to limitations in the data currently available, an accurate quantification of the amount of infectivity in the intestinal parts other than ileum of Classical BSE infected cattle at different stages of the incubation period cannot be provided. It is also concluded that, due to the continuous decline of the Classical BSE epidemic, the current Classical BSE exposure risk from bovine intestines has declined correspondingly. Exposure to Atypical BSE from the consumption of bovine intestines cannot be assessed at this stage and research on the pathogenesis of Atypical BSE is recommended