EU lifts ban on animal by-products in pig feed

In the wake of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) crisis in 1994, a ban on the use of processed animal proteins (PAPs) in ruminant feed was put in place. Experts believe BSE is caused by feeding cattle feed made with meat and bone meal from infected animals. In an effort to avoid possible cross-contamination, the ban on the use of PAPs was extended to all farm animals in 2001. The reasoning behind lifting the ban is two-fold. First, the European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy encourages the use of by-products from within the food industry, and also promotes the use of sustainable and local ingredients. “PAP fit very well with these requirements,” says Carine van Vuure (pictured), manager nutrition and regulatory affairs at Darling Ingredients, and European Fat Processors and Renderers Association (EFPRA) member. Additionally, the risk of cross-contamination appears to be slim. The last case of BSE in cattle in the EU was in 2016, and the last case in the UK was ...