Rapid Advice of the Scientific Committee of the Belgian Food Safety Agency on the evaluation of a proposal to stop with the routine removal of specified risk materials during bovine slaughter

The Scientific Committee was asked to evaluate a proposal to stop with the routine removal of specified risk materials during bovine slaughter given the Belgian OIE status of ‘negligible risk’ with regard to BSE. 
The Scientific Committee is of the opinion that the risk evaluation has to be done in the light of the European or even global factual sanitary situation in regard to BSE taking into account the uncertainties related to the topic. 
Removal of specified risk materials from cattle at slaughter prevents infected materials from entering the food chain. 
The Scientific Committee is of the opinion that, given the actual epidemiological BSE situation in the EU and taking into consideration the uncertainties in regard to early detection of asymptomatic BSE and the zoonotic significance and true prevalence of Atypical BSE, stopping in Belgium with the routine removal of specified risk materials during bovine slaughter will increase the risk for public health.