Bio-Rad Laboratories's Platelia BSE test will provide the science behind Reading Scientific Services extension into the commercial screening arena
The announcement by Reading Scientific Services that it has been granted UKAS accreditation by the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to conduct commercial BSE testing, is a first for the UK.
Now, the meat industry, including supermarkets, has the option of giving consumers the strongest reassurance over the safety of its products, by bolstering BSE screening measures already taken by the UK government and independently testing cows which enter the food chain for any indications of infection.
The testing procedure to be used by RSSL has been developed by US biotech company Bio-Rad Laboratories and is regarded by the scientific community as the most reliable and accurate available.
The procedure results in the detection of an abnormal prion protein (PrPres) in cow's brain tissue samples, the only specific bio-chemical marker for BSE and considered the causative agent for vCJD in humans.
Chris Rew of Bio-Rad Laboratories in the UK said: "This method of BSE detection is relied on by the majority of governments which are conducting screening programmes across the world, and we are pleased that commercial enterprises in the UK now have the option of having their products tested by the most sensitive method available." Speaking about the new service, Dr Ray Gibson of RSSL added: "We anticipate that a test for the BSE prion will become a necessary part of the 'due diligence' process in the meat industry.
It offers the possibility of setting up a positive release system for all carcasses entering the food chain." In addition to offering a test for the BSE prion, RSSL also offers alternative methods to screen for the presence of specified risk material such as CNS tissue and brain.
