ZM0306: Historic butchery practices
Wednesday 25 June 2003
This research project aims to determine whether butchery practices prevalent in the Queniborough area, which may have resulted in the cluster of vCJD cases, were common practice in the UK.
Background
The report by the Leicestershire Health Authority (LHA) into the cluster of vCJD cases around Queniborough concluded that there was an association with the consumption of beef purchased from butchers where there was a risk of cross-contamination of beef carcass meat with bovine brain. The objective of this study is to determine to what extent the activities of potential concern identified in the Queniborough report were common practice throughout the UK during the peak of the BSE epidemic (1980 to 1995).
Research Approach
If possible, the study will consider how such practices may have altered over time and the impact of legislative changes. In addition the study will consider any other factors related to butchery practices that may have affected exposure to infectivity (e.g. sale of brain for human consumption).