EU may relax rules on animal proteins used for feed

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Publish time:6/10/2008 12:00:00 AM      Source: www.cnchemicals.com
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June 10, 2008

EU may relax rules on animal proteins used for feed


EU experts were compiling a report on the feasibility and risk of easing rules so that some animal proteins may be used in animal feed, EU Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou said Monday (June 9, 2008).

Vassiliou said that there is a study on pig meal for chicken and vice-versa. EU expects to have the results of the research in 2009 and decide accordingly, she added.

The EU banned the use of meat and bone meal (MBM) in cattle feed in 1994 after scientists found that mad cow disease was spread by feed contaminated by ruminant protein in the form of MBM.

Last year, EU scientists examined the mad cow-related risks of using certain animal proteins in animal feed, particularly pig protein being fed to poultry and feed containing poultry protein being fed to pigs.

They said the risks to human health would be negligible, since mad cow had not yet been identified in pigs or poultry under natural conditions.

In April 2008, the EU has already taken a first step towards relaxing its overall restrictions by lifting a seven-year ban on using fishmeal in animal feed.

However, strict rules will apply to the production, packaging, labelling and transport of such fishmeal-based replacers.

Providing the European Parliament agrees, that new provision would probably come into force in September, Vassiliou said.