Canadian beef banned in Peru, Taiwan and Belarus over mad cow case
BSE confirmed on Edmonton-area farm in early February
More countries have put temporary restrictions on Canadian beef products after a confirmed case of mad cow disease in one beef cow in Alberta earlier this month.
The three countries are Peru, Belarus and Taiwan, while Indonesia placed temporary restrictions on some non-edible meat products, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. South Korea temporarily suspended imports last week.
The Alberta case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) — better known as mad cow disease — was confirmed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Feb. 13.
The beef producing animal, which tested positive for BSE, was being raised on a farm near Spruce Grove, located just outside of Edmonton.
This is the first case of BSE reported in the country since 2011.
BSE cow not part of food chain
The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association had confirmed in this most recent case that no part of the cow had reached the human food or animal feed systems.
BSE — a progressive, fatal neurological disease — is believed to be spread when cattle eat protein rendered from the brains and spines of infected cattle or sheep.
Canada banned that practice in 1997.
With files from The Canadian Press