ACMSF draft report on botulism in sheep and goats

The key ACMSF recommendations are:

• In the absence of other signs, there should be no requirement to restrict meat or milk from healthy sheep or goats from farms where there have been suspected cases of botulism.
• The incidence of toxin types, other than C and D, among sheep and goats should be monitored and the situation should be reviewed if there is evidence for the toxin types associated with human disease.
• UK agriculture departments should reinforce their advice to farmers involved in the production, storage and spreading of poultry litter on measures for the prevention of on-farm botulism. The FSA should work closely with the poultry industry to ensure good practice in litter management and disposal, while recognising that practical solutions will need to take into account local factors, such as availability of arable land or other means of disposal of litter. This advice should be extended to sheep and goat farmers.
• UK veterinary authorities should continue to encourage sheep and goat farmers to report suspected cases of botulism.

Background
The ACMSF provides the Food Standards Agency (FSA) with independent expert advice. This helps the Agency ensure that policy development and consumer advice in relation to the microbiological safety of food are based upon sound science and relevant practical experience and expertise. The Committee’s terms of reference are to assess the risk to humans from microorganisms which are used or occur in or on food and to advise the FSA on any matters relating to the microbiological safety of food.

Following the publication of the ACMSF report on Botulism in Cattle in December 2006, the FSA sought ACMSF’s advice on the potential risk to human health from food chain issues linked to botulism or suspected botulism in sheep and goats. Specially, whether the recommendation from the Botulism in Cattle Report that there should be no requirement to restrict milk and meat from healthy cattle from farms where there have been suspected cases of botulism, could also be applied to meat and milk from healthy sheep and goats on farms where there have been suspected cases of botulism.

In May 2007, the ACMSF reconvened the ad hoc group on botulism in cattle. The terms of reference for the group were revised to consider the potential human health risk associated with botulism or suspected botulism in cattle, sheep and goats, particularly in relation to the spreading of poultry litter on agriculture land, and to report back with recommendations to the ACMSF.

The group met three times over a period of 11 months. The group considered information on the prevalence and reported outbreaks or incidents of suspected botulism in sheep and goats in the UK and other countries. It examined differences in animal husbandry practices, feeding habits and meat and milk production between the two species and in comparison with cattle. The likelihood of active botulinum toxin being present in meat and milk was explored, and risk factors associated with the consumption of meat and milk (including raw milk and milk products) from sheep and goats, milk dilution factors, and composting and disposal of poultry litter were examined. The group also reviewed the susceptibility of humans to the botulinum toxin types C and D, that are most frequently associated with botulism in animals.

The report
The ad hoc group’s draft report has now been adopted by the full ACMSF and is attached for comment. The structure of the report is as follows :

• paragraphs 1-14 summarise the background the ACMSF’s deliberations and describe the Committee’s approach to its work
• paragraphs 15-28 outline the factors impacting on food safety including the clinical signs of botulism in sheep and goats, reported outbreaks, botulinum toxin types, and the potential association with poultry litter
• paragraphs 29-37 discuss the potential risk to human health from meat, milk and milk products from sheep and goats
• paragraphs 38-42 examine the risk of human botulism from sheep and goats
• paragraphs 43-45 summarise the committee’s conclusions and recommendations

The draft report also contains annexes outlining the group's terms of reference and list of membership, revised FSA advice on botulism in cattle, a list of tables, glossaries of technical terms and abbreviations, and a comprehensive reference section.

Your Comments
Comments are invited on any aspects of the draft report and its recommendations. The ACMSF will review its draft report in the light of any comments received, before submitting a final version to the Chair of the FSA seeking her agreement to publication.

Impact Assessment
This consultation is not accompanied by an Impact Assessment because the ACMSF has no regulatory status. It is for the Food Standards Agency to decide whether to accept the recommendations outlined in this report and whether to produce an Impact Assessment should the recommendations be accepted.

This consultation has been prepared in accordance with the HM Government Code of Practice on Consultation, which states that a consultation must follow better regulation best practice, including carrying out an Impact Assessment (Regulatory Impact Assessment in Scotland). The assessment is included in the consultation documents.

We are interested in what you thought of this consultation and would therefore welcome your general feedback on both the consultation package and overall consultation process. If you would like to assist us to improve the quality of future consultations, please feel free to share your thoughts with us by using the consultation feedback questionnaire.

Consultation feedback questionnaire (Word)

Consultation feedback questionnaire (pdf)

In accordance with the FSA principle of openness our Information Centre at Aviation House will hold a copy of the completed consultation. Responses will be open to public access upon request. The FSA will also publish a summary of responses, which may include personal data, such as your full name and contact address details. If you do not want this information to be released, please complete and return the Publication of Personal Data Form. Return of this form does not mean that we will treat your response to the consultation as confidential, just your personal data.

Data protection form (Word)

Data protection form (pdf)

Within three months of a consultation ending we aim to publish a summary of responses received and provide a link to it from this page.

If, after three months, the summary is still not showing, please contact the person who was responsible for the original consultation. Alternatively, you can contact Judith Taylor, the FSA Consultation Co-ordinator, on 020 7276 8633.
Email: judith.taylor@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk