May 28, 2002
		Bovine Proteins Found in Chicken Fillets On May 22, UK news source The Guardian disclosed that bovine proteins were identified in chicken breast fillets tested by the food safety authority of Ireland, raising concerns that bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) may be contracted through chicken consumption. Concern was raised earlier this year when pig proteins were discovered in chicken fillets being imported into Britain from the Netherlands. The UK food standards agency contacted Ireland's agency, which then used more sensitive tests on 30 samples of chicken imported from the same Dutch companies into Ireland. It was discovered that seventeen of the samples contained foreign DNA; seven had DNA from cows; seven had DNA from pigs and three had DNA from both cows and pigs. The DNA had been added to the chicken fillets, but it the origin of the bovine proteins in unknown. It is known that the Dutch poultry industry uses additives such as milk protein and hydrolyzed collagen to bulk up chicken in a process known as tumbling. Hydrolysis is a process in which proteins are extracted animals either chemically or at high temperatures. The process, however, does not destroy the prions which are associated with BSE. Chief specialist in food science at the Irish agency, Wayne Anderson, confirmed that there was a risk of BSE being in chicken fillets that have gone through the hydrolysis process. "At the moment it is a theoretical risk. Prions are good at avoiding most things. The presence of bovine proteins in chicken is disgusting. We would be very concerned if the bovine protein source cannot be explained," Anderson said. Dutch authorities tried to minimize the finding, claiming that the bovine DNA could relate to the practice of injecting milk proteins into chicken breasts. There are concerns among other food safety authorities that the Dutch companies were deceptive, as most of the samples carried false declarations of their contents, and eight of the samples were labeled as kosher when they actually contained pig protein. "We need the Dutch to tell us what's going on. Only the industry knows who the people making this stuff are. There are a lot of ‘what ifs' at the moment. What if it's material not controlled under the specific risk material rule?" Mr Anderson asked. The specific risk material rules Mr. Anderson was referring to requires that certain parts of the cow which are most likely to spread BSE be removed from the food chain. IN the UK, it is not illegal to add proteins to chicken provided it is clearly labeled. Unwrapped chicken sold in butcher shops would not have to be labeled, though. Harriet Kimbell, consumer representative to the British government's advisory committee on BSE, said: "This is outrageous. Why hasn't it been picked up before? Why were they looking for it? They must have been suspicious. What is bovine material doing in chicken meat?" Peter Smith, chairman of the advisory committee on BSE, said: "It does sound worrying. The risk will depend on where the beef material is coming from." The food standards agency said it would be conducting further investigations into the Irish findings.