Media Releases
Australia to extend suspension on imported beef products to other European countries
The Federal Government has decided to suspend the importation of foods containing beef or beef products from other countries in Europe because of concerns over Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as "mad cow" disease.
5 January 2001
Australia to extend suspension on imported beef products to other European countries
The Federal Government has decided to suspend the importation of foods containing beef or beef products from other countries in Europe because of concerns over Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as "mad cow" disease.
Announcing the temporary suspension, Australia's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Richard Smallwood, said that specified foods that contained British beef had been banned from importation into Australia from 1996 following concerns about the link between BSE-infected British beef and variant Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease (vCJD) in humans.
"It is becoming clearer now that more countries in Europe may be affected by BSE in their cattle. While the number of cattle involved in these countries is still small compared to the UK, Federal Health Minister, Dr Michael Wooldridge, has taken action, in conjunction with other relevant Ministers to exclude these products from sale in Australia as a precaution," Professor Smallwood said.
"The risk to the health of Australians from the consumption of these products is extremely small," he said, "however, we need to keep one step ahead of the BSE/vCJD situation that is causing great concern in the UK and the rest of Europe."
The decision by Australia to suspend the import of foods containing beef from other countries in Europe will be implemented in conjunction with the New Zealand Government which has worked closely with Australia on this action.
The withdrawal will take place from next Monday, 8 January 2001.
"In the first instance we will be asking the grocery industry in consultation with State and Territory authorities, to introduce a voluntary withdrawal of all these products and consumers are advised to dispose of any cans of food they may have in their cupboards that contain beef from a specified European country of origin," Professor Smallwood said.
"There are small but significant amounts of these foods on the Australian market - around 1000 tonnes per annum, which accounts for only 0.2 per cent of beef consumed annually in Australia. This food is imported almost entirely as canned or prepared food products. While there will be a cost to retailers who will be asked to withdraw the products from shelves and discard them, no retailer should be too badly affected.
"Foods already in transit to Australia will be prevented from entering the Australian market place, but again the aggregate will be small."
Both Australia and New Zealand have agreed that following the suspension and voluntary withdrawal of product from sale, a formal certification process is being established to assess future imports to ensure they are BSE-free.
Professor Smallwood said Australia and New Zealand have no BSE in their cattle and Australian and New Zealand meat products are the safest in the world to eat.
"For the most part we are only talking about specialty items sourced from beef in Europe where we cannot be certain of their BSE-free status," he said
Sausages such as salamis are for the most part not imported foods but made from Australian product. However, any salamis imported from the specified European countries will be included in the suspension. Sausages in tins, however, are more likely to be imported and retailers and consumers need to check the labels of any such items in their possession.
Professor Smallwood said he was looking forward to receiving expert, independent scientific advice on transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) from the newly formed National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Expert Committee on TSEs, that was established at the end of last year at the request of Health Minister Wooldridge.
"The group will be chaired by Professor Graeme Ryan AC, a former Dean of Medicine at Melbourne University and distinguished pathologist and medical academic. The committee will comprise experts in food safety, communicable diseases, quarantine, agricultural and veterinary science, epidemiology, blood and consumer interests," Professor Smallwood said.
"The committee will study the full range of TSEs, including BSE in cattle, scrapie in sheep, CJD and vCJD in humans and their implications for public health and safety and advise the Government on how best to deal with these emerging issues based on sound evidence and best practice."
More information on the voluntary food withdrawal can be obtained by ringing a special information phone line on 1800 200 701 or by visiting the internet on www.health.gov.au.
Media contact: Kay McNiece, Commonwlth Dept. Health & Aged Care 0412 132 585
