BSE "Mad Cow Disease"
Nature’s Life’s mission is to "ethically provide quality products and services to improve nutrition and health." We have held true to this mission in the last 30 years despite unforeseen challenges within our industry. Three of the guiding objectives in support of this mission are:
to consistently deliver quality by basing product formulation and specifications on scientific evidence
to consistently provide beneficial product information to facilitate informed consent by consumers
to continue representing consumers’ best interests in regards to dietary supplements and food concentrates
Reports of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) began in 1987 in Europe, specifically the United Kingdom where the first incidences occurred. BSE, a neurological disease also called "mad cow" disease, is believed to have been spread by the practice of mixing carcasses of cows, and perhaps sheep, into cattle feed. Agriculturists do this to increase the nutritive value of animal feed.
There are similar diseases in other ruminant animals: sheep ("scrapie"), goats, elk and mule deer ("wasting disease") to name a few. The exact cause of the disease is not known, but many believe that it results from a virus-like agent. These TSEs (Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies) cause a spongy degeneration of the brain, with accompanying neurological damage, eventually leading to death.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) the number of people affected by the human version of mad cow disease (a prototype known as variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, or vCJD) steadily increased until peaking in 1992. Since then, there has been a drastic decline, reflecting increased scientific understanding and pro-activity of governing bodies to control it. Some other variations of BSE (in animals other than cows) are not transmissible to humans.
The import of live ruminants from countries known to have livestock infected with BSE was prohibited by the United States Department of Agriculture in 1989. By 1997, all European countries were included in the import ban. As of December 2000, the USDA is prohibiting all imports of rendered animal protein products, regardless of species.
The brain (and glands found therein) and spinal cord of infected cows carry the largest risk of infection. Only one case of BSE in the US has been reported. The international community is taking preventive steps to forbid use of ruminant tissues as feed, which is really the issue demanding the most attention by government agencies..
According to strict US regulations, any ingredient "likely" to contain BSE cannot be used for animal or human consumption. Milk and milk products are considered safe, according to the WHO. Additionally, gelatin (used to manufacture capsules) is considered safe if prepared by a manufacturing process that has been shown to deactivate the transmissible agent.
Nature’s Life produces products using bovine-sourced ingredients other than gelatin and milk products, including bone meal, peptic acid, bile and liver.
At present, the FDA and industry leader NNFA (National Nutritional Foods Association) are working with other industry and consumer groups to investigate the source and safety of bovine ingredients. Nature’s Life is among many manufacturers in this cooperative effort that will submit input.
Nature’s Life will continue to monitor the rapidly-evolving BSE situation and ensure the safety of our products.
For more information about BSE and food safety, please visit the WHO web site at: www.who.int/inf-fs/en/fact113.html, the FDA "Hot Topic" web site page at: www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/bse.html, the USDA website at: www.aphis.usda.gov/oa/bse/, and the NNFA web site at: www.nnfa.org.