Teaching Workshop: Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)
Specified Risk Materials (SRMs)

Specified Risk Materials (SRMs)

• On January 12, 2004, FSIS published an interim final rule on Specified Risk Materials (SRMs) and requirements for non-ambulatory disabled cattle.
  • SRMs only apply to cattle.
• Definition:
  • Specified Risk Materials are inedible and cannot be used in human food.

SRM Requirements

• Apply to all beef plants:
  • Federal
  • State
  • Custom-Exempt
  • Imports

Specified Risk Materials (SRMs)

• In all cattle:
  • Tonsils
  • Distal ileum of the small intestine
    • Only the distal ileum is a Specified Risk Material, but the entire small intestine must be removed and not used for human food.

Identifying Age of Cattle for Slaughter

• One of a plant's first activities should be to identify the age of cattle, because the SRMs are different for cattle 30 months of age and older.
  • If the plant does not have records on the age and is not using dentition, it should handle all carcasses and parts as if they were from cattle 30 months of age and older.

SRMs - In cattle 30 months and older

• Brain
• Skull
• Eyes
• Trigeminal ganglia
• Spinal cord
• Dorsal root ganglia (DRG)
• Vertebral column, excluding
  • Vertebrae of the tail
  • Transverse process of the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae
  • Wings of the sacrum
• GRAPHIC - Cattle vertebral column: Fourth lumbar vertebra of ox, caudal view
• GRAPHIC - Cattle vertebral column: Sacrum of ox, dorsal and ventral views

Reasons for Prohibiting these Parts

• It is generally accepted that in animals with clinical BSE disease, the brain and spinal cord contain the greatest concentration of the BSE agent.
  • Except for the skull and vertebral column, SRMs have demonstrated infectivity either in cattle naturally or experimentally.
  • The skull and vertebral column are included because they contain the trigeminal ganglia (skull) or the spinal cord and DRG (vertebral column).

SRMs - Plant Responsibilities

• Federal, State, and plants importing into the U.S. must:
  • Implement and maintain written procedures for the removal, segregation, and disposition of SRMs.
  • Incorporate these procedures into HACCP Plans, Sanitation SOPs or other prerequisite programs.
  • Have corrective action provisions.
• Custom-exempt plants:
  • Must comply with the adulteration provisions of the FMIA. (SRMs must be handled as inedible).
• Plants must:
  • Maintain daily records to document implementation and monitoring of procedures for the removal, segregation, and disposition of SRMs.
  • Make these records available to FSIS inspection program personnel upon request.

Recommended Procedures

• If plants slaughter both young cattle and cattle 30 months and older:
  • Recommend that young cattle be slaughtered first
  • If cattle 30 months of age and older are slaughtered first, sanitize equipment and verify there is no cross-contamination of carcasses

Acceptable Procedures

• In cattle 30 months of age and older, after carcass-splitting:
  • Is acceptable to remove visible spinal cord with knife trimming.
  • To clean equipment, utilize the provisions of 9 CFR 416.

SRMs - Plant Responsibilities

• Processing plants must:
  • Segregate/identify bone-in product from cattle 30 months of age and older in order to properly address SRM removal and control.
  • Recognize that T-bone or porterhouse steaks and bone-in rib roasts can no longer come from cattle 30 months of age and older.

SRMs - FSIS Responsibilities

• In addition to present inspection procedures, FSIS inspection program personnel will:
  • Verify the age of cattle.
  • Verify the adequacy and effectiveness of a plant's procedures regarding SRMs.
  • Condemn the heads from cattle 30 months of age and older unless the plant can verify that the stunning does not result in brain leakage onto the head.

Additional Help

• FSIS wants to help all plants understand their responsibilities under the new rules
  • That is why we are holding this series of Teaching Workshops and providing the workbooks.
  • FSIS inspection program personnel are working closely with plants to help you understand and implement the new rules.
  • The Strategic Initiatives, Partnerships and Outreach staff from the Office of Public Affairs, Outreach and Education (OPAEO) is working closely with FSIS District Offices, State Inspection programs, and the Contacts and Coordinators in every state to provide technical assistance to small and very small plants. (202) 690-6520
  • Technical information is available from the FSIS Technical Service Center. 1-800-233-3935