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Brazil confirms cases of BSE, suspends exports
Brazil has confirmed two cases of BSE as the country has suspended beef exports to its top customer.
The country’s ag ministry says it confirmed two cases of atypical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in two separate domestic meat plants on Sunday in the states of Mato Grosso and Minas Gerais.
As part of a health pact between Brazil and China, the two countries will suspend trading immediately and allow China to decide when to import meat again.
The ministry says these cases were the fourth and fifth cases of atypical BSE detected in Brazil in 23 years. Atypical BSE develops spontaneously and isn’t related to eating contaminated foods. The country has never had a case of “classic” BSE.
The cases were confirmed on Friday and sent to the World Organization for Animal Health lab in Alberta, Canada.
The ministry said there was no risk to animal or human health.
China imports more than half of Brazil’s meat exports.
