This infectious disease affecting cattle, sometimes called "mad cow disease" due to its symptoms, is officially known as "Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)." In infected cattle, a pathogen called the BSE prion accumulates mainly in the brain, causing vacuoles to form in the brain and making the brain tissue spongy. Cattle that develop BSE experience nerve paralysis, making it difficult to stand or walk, and eventually 100% die. The incubation period is estimated to be an average of 5 years, but in most cases it is estimated to be between 4 and 6 years. Currently, there is no biopsy or treatment for BSE.
While the exact cause of BSE is not yet clear, the pathogen is believed to be an abnormal prion. Prions themselves are proteins that are normally present in the body. They are particularly abundant in nerve cells and are thought to be involved in maintaining the structure of nerve cells and transmitting information from nerve to nerve. It is believed that BSE is caused by these prions becoming abnormal for some reason.
It is believed that the infection spread when healthy cattle orally ingested (ate) meat and bone meal containing dangerous parts from cattle infected with BSE as part of their feed.
This powder is made from unsuitable parts of livestock such as cattle and pigs that are not suitable for consumption, which are processed by heating and other methods, and then dried. It is mainly used as animal feed and fertilizer.
It is believed to be infectious. In humans, variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), which causes brain tissue to become spongy like BSE, is considered to be a disease caused by transmission from BSE to humans.
Human infection occurs, similar to infection between cattle, by ingesting abnormal prions accumulated in specific risk areas of infected cattle. After infection, symptoms develop after a long incubation period of several years to over 20 years. There is no fundamental treatment, and it is considered to be inevitably fatal, but the detailed mechanism is still not understood.
These are parts of the cattle body that are considered to be prone to accumulating abnormal prions, which are thought to be the pathogens of BSE, and therefore should be excluded from the distribution chain.
The scope of designated hazardous materials varies slightly from country to country, but in Japan, it refers to the following specific materials.
At present, the full extent of vCJD is not yet understood. Furthermore, there is no way to detect if abnormal prions from infected cattle are mixed into processed beef. Therefore, the best preventive measure is to prevent abnormal prions from entering human food, and it is crucial to implement a system to achieve this. For this reason, Zensho Group believes that the following three points are effective for beef produced in countries where BSE has occurred.
(1) Complete removal of specified hazardous materials
Cattle designated as high-risk areas are parts where abnormal prions are believed to accumulate, and their removal is an effective way to prevent vCJD.
In Japan, risk assessments are conducted and specified risk materials are removed, and importing countries are required to implement the same procedures according to established standards. However, violations have occurred where specified risk materials were exported to Japan due to simple operational errors. Regarding the removal of specified risk materials, complete implementation and strict control of related operations are required.
(2) Feed regulations
In Japan, designated risk materials are completely incinerated, so there is no way for them to end up in our food supply. However, meat and bone meal derived from cattle is used in pig and chicken feed. There are concerns that if these feeds mix with cattle feed during the manufacturing or transportation process, or if cattle are mistakenly given meat and bone meal on farms, cattle could ingest it and BSE could spread. We believe that strict feed regulations are necessary.
(3) BSE testing and ensuring safety
Food providers have a responsibility to guarantee food safety. Inspection in countries where BSE has occurred is one effective means of fulfilling this responsibility. Furthermore, it is necessary to strengthen traceability, which involves understanding the process from the production farm to the consumer and ensuring safety at each stage.
We will always consider and implement the best methods to ensure consumer safety and security.
Since December 2010, Zensho Group has been using U.S. beef certified under its own "Zensho SFC" brand. SFC cattle are guaranteed to be safe regardless of age, as they have been confirmed and tested to ensure that the substances believed to cause BSE are not mixed into their feed.
In the United States, the "Beef Export Certification Program for Japan" was implemented in 2005, and stricter feed regulations were introduced in 2009. In addition, Zensho has established its own stringent standards through SFC, and Zensho employees directly inspect the sites to confirm that these regulations and management practices are being properly implemented.
Yes, it's safe.
In Japan, prefectural and other local governments conduct continuous inspections of food for radioactive substances based on standards set by the national government. As a result, food exceeding the standard levels is subject to measures such as shipment restrictions and recalls, and a system is in place to prevent it from entering the market in principle.
Zensho Group procures and uses only ingredients whose safety has been confirmed in accordance with Japan's food safety system. In addition to official Japanese inspections, we also conduct tests for radioactive materials at our own the Central Research Center to confirm safety.
Zensho Group conducts tests using NaI(TI) scintillation measuring equipment to confirm that the levels of radioactive substances in food do not exceed national standards.
If this test indicates a possibility of exceeding the standard value, a more detailed test is conducted by an external specialist institution using a germanium semiconductor detector, and the results are confirmed.