On 18th of December 2001 the Food Standards Agency hosted a Public Stakeholders Meeting, at Congress Centre, Great Russell Street, London. Sir John Krebs, the Chairman of the FSA, chaired this programme Professor Peter Smith, together with Mr Jim Walker of the NFU Scotland, outlined in their speeches that tests on sheep brain, commissioned by DEFRA have not shown any positive results. However it cannot be excluded that there is possibility that BSE may be present in sheep. Chairman and the Consumer Association representative will not rule out theoretical risk.

Despite the fact that sheep as well cows are known to have eaten the same feed that caused the epidemic in cows, evidence to date has not shown that any sheep have Contracted BSE.

The FSA reaffirms its view, with acknowledgement of practical difficulties, that among other measures:

• The current screening programme for Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSEs) should be expanded
• The national scrapie plan should be accelerated with clear statements of what is deliverable
• There is an urgent requirement to develop a validated rapid test to detect the possible presence of BSE in sheep
• European-wide TSE surveillance should be undertaken on sheep and, that there is a need for an audit on the Institute of Animal Health, sheep experiments that is thoroughly independent and transparent.

Mr Masood Khawaja President of the Halal Food Authority attended this seminar along with scores of Stakeholder members from the industry, regulatory organisations and interested parties. Message from the rostrum was that the public and the interested stakeholders will be kept informed of the ongoing research and experiments.

Prior to this seminar there was joint meeting on the 7th of November of the FSA and the Muslim Organisations Working Group, under the Chairmanship of Mr David Carruthers, the Head of the BSE in Sheep Section of the Food Standards Agency. This special meeting was convened in the wake of error in labelling of brains and mix-up of sheep and cow brain in tests and, to discuss in detail the possible implications of BSE in Sheep, if it is ever found to be the case, on the halal meat trade.

It is imperative to state that so far there is no BSE in sheep. The Muslim community is advised to make use of ewes and lamb meat without fear. The HFA is cognisant of the risks and will keep the Ummah informed of any adverse situations.

Masood Khawaja, President

Halal Food Authority
18th December 2001
07860 635 537

©Halal Food Authority 2006