FAO: 100 countries exposed to a danger of mad cow disease

Warning that over 100 countries in the world are exposed to a danger of mad cow disease, the U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) has called for powerful steps, including a ban on the use of animal-based feeds.

Jacques Diouf, secretary-general of the FAO, said in a press release that the European-made animal feeds, which contain meat and bones of cows and sheep, are estimated to have been exported to more than 100 countries during the 10-year period from 1986 to 1996.

The FAO secretary general also pointed out that some countries re-exported the animal feed that they imported to a third country, and the number of countries, which imported living livestock came to around 100 countries.

Among the regions that imported sizable quantities of animal feeds from Britain, where mad cow disease occurred for the first time, during the period are the Far East, East Europe and Asia, he said.

The FAO secretary general recommended that 100 countries, which imported livestock and animal feeds from the region where mad cow disease occurred, take preventive measures, including the consideration of a complete ban on the imports of animal-based feeds.

Although mad cow disease has not yet occurred in the United States and Canada, we cannot exclude the possibility for the outbreak of the disease, he added.

Park Jei-Gyoon phark@donga.com