Beef from cows that have tested positive for bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is sold for human consumption in the United Kindgom, The Sunday Times reported this weekend. While major meat retailers such as Tesco reject product from cows with bTB, the federal Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) sells the beef to some caterers and food processors who supply schools, hospitals and the military, reported the Times Saturday. Defra confirmed that such meat is sold for human consumption, but said it is subject for further inspection first. “All meat from cattle slaughtered due to bovine TB must undergo rigorous food safety checks before it can be passed fit for consumption,” said a Defra spokeswoman. “The Food Standards Agency has confirmed there are no known cases where TB has been transmitted through eating meat and the risk of infection from eating meat, even if raw or undercooked, remains extremely low.” Tuberculosis bacteria is killed by cooking meat. However, evidence has shown that the bacteria can be transmitted to humans when handling raw meat. “Cooking this meat would be an additional safety step, but we would emphasise the risk even before cooking is very low,” said the Defra spokeswoman. The beef from cows with bTB sold in the UK is not marked to differentiate it from other beef, reported the Times. The UK badger population is thought to contribute to the transmission of bTB among cows. Tens of thousands of badgers have been culled in an attempt to curb the spread of the disease.
The News Desk team at Food Safety News covers breaking developments, regulatory updates, recalls, and key topics shaping food safety today. These articles are produced collaboratively by our editorial staff.
Experts are hoping revised foodborne infection data can shift the focus of resources from trade to investing in domestic food safety.
The World Health Organization (WHO) updated foodborne illness estimates
Experts have voiced concerns about food fraud in food security programs and suggested ways to combat the problem.
A report made several recommendations including penalizing and discouraging food fraud practices,
Nearly one in three consumers in Scotland have eaten beef burgers that are pink or have pink juices, according to a survey.
Food Standards Scotland (FSS) said results highlight potentially
The number of food recalls declined in New Zealand in 2025 and undeclared allergens were responsible for almost half of the alerts.
New Zealand Food Safety supported businesses in conducting
The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for a beef jerky product because of misbranding and an undeclared allergen.
The product contains
Moldova and Malta have both recently recorded separate outbreaks of foodborne illness.
In Moldova, the National Agency for Public Health (ANSP) reported an outbreak of food poisoning among people who
As the United States marks its 250th Independence Day, families will be packing away picnic trays, grill platters and dessert tables and facing the question of how to safely handle
The Food and Drug Administration uses import alerts to enforce U.S. food safety regulations for food from foreign countries. The agency updates and modifies the alerts as needed.
Recent
