Your response: from Prof J Ralph Blanchfield
Do you represent a special interest group?
Institute of Food Science & Technology (IFST)
Comment:
Further to the discussion of draft SG3/1 at the BSE Stakeholders meeting on 14 september I offer the following suggestions for wording on two points that were raised.
Paragraph 47:
As was pointed out, the wording of the last sentence is not in accordance with the facts. I can see no valid way of re-wording it while the word "Germany" is present, and I therefore suggest omitting "Germany and". (If it is thought important to give more than one example one could use Finland, Sweden, Greece, or Austria).
Paragraph 59, line 4:
I suggested that "within a single species" was inadequate. The form of wording that I suggest is "within any species used for human food, pet food or animal feed". If that goes beyond "SEAC's view" in reference 39 (quoted in the text but not given in this draft) then omit that mention of SEAC. In response to Sir John's question, whether I would include fish, I would do so.
Paragraph 64, last sentence:
"thus protecting the food chain from any theoretical risk from BSE in sheep." is incorrect, I suggested an off-the cuff re-wording, but now suggest "thus protecting the food chain from risk from sheep MRM in the event that research finds BSE to occur in sheep"
On 18 september, I spoke to Chris Walding, and informed him that Roland Heynkes, a BSE expert in Germany, had told me that, according to German officials, it is not true that UK cannot retain in the UK more stringent requirements than the Commission's new requirements (it is true only in respect of imports).
On 19 September I sent Chris Walding an e-mail with the following details of the German authorities concerned --
The details are as follows:
Dr.med.vet. Heiner David ; BSE-expert in the Ministry for Ecology and Agriculture in Nordrhein-Westfalen, Department of Food Safety,
Tel:
49/211/4566-397
Fax.
49/211/4566-432
The expert for EC 2000/418 within the federal German MAFF in Bonn is: Dr. Udo Wiemer