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SAFEED-PAP will use the inherent difference and complementarities of the various methods in terms of their targets to develop and validate methods that will allow reaching the scientific conditions for the amendment of the total feed ban. SAFEED-PAP has three main objectives:
<UL> <LI> Development of suitable validated methods for the species specific detection and quantification of animal protein in compound feed in order to allow the amendment of the extended total band;
<LI>Development of tools and analytical kits for the correct implementation of the methods in the labs;
<LI> To set up the appropriate environment for the optimum application of the methods.
Since the earliest case of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) epidemic was first confirmed in t he United Kingdom in 1987, strict legislation was set up year after year.
This has been done taking into account new scientific and epidemiologic evidences showing that meat and bone meal are the most probable vector of the disease, in order to eradicate B SE in Europe. Nowadays, the European Commission has come to the stage that amendments of certain measures could be envisaged, without endangering the health or the policy of eradicating BSE, provided that the positive trend continues and scientific conditions are in place.
The scientific conditions to complete regarding the amendments of the total feed ban are the development and validation of analytical methods and tools for the detection of the presence of species-specific animal proteins in animal feed. Actually, the existing methods do not allow species-specific identification and lead to the impossibility to lift the total ban and to implement the anti-cannibalism ban. SAFEED-PAP aims to complete the scientific conditions that should allow the repealing of the extended feed ban.
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For more information about this project, please visit the <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/research/biosociety/food_quality/projects/163_en.ht…; target="_blank">European Commission Food Quality and Safety in Europe</a> Web site.