Meat and bone meal

MBM is a product of the rendering industry. The use as feed for livestock is forbidden in the EU since 2001. However, it should in partial lifting of this ban since June 2013 not ruminant carcasses from animals gewonnes meat and bone meal for animal consumption (about pigs or chickens ) back to eating fish and other grown on farm raised animals. MBM is also burned in energy use, used as feed for pets and zoo animals and fur and may be used, subject to conditions as fertilizer in agriculture.

Production

In a rendering plant, the carcasses of dead and diseased animals, animal waste and animal by- products are processed by mechanical and chemical reprocessing into animal meal and other products. The biological value of meat and bone meal protein is dependent on the ratios of the starting materials, in particular on the proportion of meat or collagen and keratinreichen body components as well as blood.

Use

Feed

The imposed in response to the mad cow disease meat and bone meal ban expired after twelve years on June 1, 2013. The EU Commission is thus MBM from non- ruminant animals such as pigs or chickens again permitted as feed for fish and other grown on farm raised animals. In Switzerland, meat and bone meal from non-ruminants for fish feeding was never banned.

The feeding of meat and bone meal to ruminants is banned throughout the EU since 1994, in 2001 the ban was extended to all animals. Food from contaminated animal protein for cattle is considered the main transmission of the pathogen of cattle disease BSE. Previously, meat and bone meal was used as protein feed, especially in the animal pole. 2011 examined the EU and the Swiss Federal Veterinary Office, a relaxation of the general feed ban under restrictive conditions in order to reduce dependence on soy.

MBM can be used for the production of feed for animals and for fur or zoo animals. Are permitted only products of category 3 animal rendering. According to a voluntary agreement by the pet food industry, however, only raw materials from slaughtered animals are used, which have been assessed as fit for human consumption.

Risks of feeding

Are thorough scientific studies on the potential risks of feeding of cattle and the spread of disease in humans. Also to be fed to chickens investigations were carried out.

Evidence of incorporation of MBM

For the detection of Beischung of MBM to regular pet food sensitive and specific immunological detection methods have been developed on the basis of osteocalcin as biomarker. It is possible with this ELISA test to detect 0.1 % MBM in plants or fish meal based feed.

Fertilizer

MBM can be used because of its high nitrogen and phosphate content as organic fertilizer. It may be applied only to uncultivated arable land and must be incorporated on the same day. Livestock is allowed for a period of 21 days without access to land on which MBM is used as fertilizer.

Combustion

Today, a significant portion of the meal is burned. It is mixed in lignite and coal power plants, the coal or in cement plants for process heat.