December 28, 2012

Egypt has not suspend Brazil's beef imports after a case of atypical mad cow disease was reported in the country, according to Brazil's agriculture ministry.

The ministry said on December 17 that Egypt, a major importer of Brazilian meat, had suspended imports from the Brazilian state of Parana, where the case was confirmed.

South Africa, Japan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia have banned imports of Brazilian beef since local media reported the case earlier this month.

Brazilian diplomats in Egypt had reported back to their government in mid-December that Egypt would impose a partial or full suspension on beef imports from Brazil, but Brazilian officials said that there had been a misunderstanding.

The agriculture ministry clarified in a statement that Egypt had never banned beef imports from Brazil.

Brazil has been scrambling to reassure buyers of its beef over the case of atypical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), which was confirmed this month in an elderly cow that died in 2010 of other causes and never entered the food chain.

The Paris-based World Animal Health Organisation, which confirmed the atypical BSE diagnosis, has maintained Brazil's status as a beef producer with negligible risk of the disease.