US beef imports ‘low risk’ in Japan

US BEEF imports to Japan present a “very low risk’ of causing human infection with a variant of mad-cow disease provided specific conditions are met, a government committee said yesterday, signalling the country is moving closer to lifting a 22-month ban on the meat.

The committee said it’s not scientifically possible to make a distinction between the safety of US beef compared with beef in Japan, which like the US has also reported cases of mad-cow disease.

The committee said the beef must be from cattle aged 20 months or younger with brains, spinal cord tissue and other specified risk materials removed. The age limit means only the equivalent of 20% previously eligible for export to Japan will be available, the US Meat Export Federation said.