Consumer research on BSE and Atypical Scrapie in Sheep

Tuesday 24 July 2007

In May 2006 research was conducted to explore how members of the public feel about the issues surrounding BSE and atypical scrapie in sheep and goats and the possible risks to human health.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has identified two possible TSE (transmissible spongiform encephalopathy) risks to human health from eating sheep and goat products:

• That atypical scrapie, a recently identified brain disease of sheep in the same family of diseases as BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy), could cause a disease in humans similar to vCJD (Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob) disease
• That BSE may be present in sheep (although it has not so far been found in the UK flock)

The objectives of this research were to:

• Explore how consumers feel about the possible risks to human health from BSE and atypical scrapie, once it has been explained to them
• Gauge how consumers think the risks should be managed, and who should take responsibility for doing this
• Gauge understanding of and response to the FSA’s advice and information on atypical scrapie and BSE