Hormones in Meat

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Hormones in Meat JoAnn Guest Jul 26, 2003 20:07 PDT

Hormones in Meat

 

Introduction

http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/him/him_index_en.html

 

In 1988, the EU prohibited of the use of oestradiol 17b , testosterone,

progesterone, zeranol, trenbolone acetate and melengestrol acetate (MGA)

for growth promotion in farm animals. This prohibition applies to Member

States and imports from third countries alike.

 

The United States and Canada contested the prohibition and, in 1997, a

panel of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) ruled that the measure was

not in line with the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and

Phytosanitary Measures (SPS). The EU appealed against this ruling and,

in 1998, the WTO Appellate Body reversed most of the findings of the

panel.

 

The WTO Appellate Body only upheld the finding that prohibition of

imports of meat from hormone-treated animals to the EU did not comply

with the requirement that such a measure should be based on a relevant

assessment of the risks to human health.

 

In reaction to these findings, the EU carried out a several

complementary risk assessments and mandated the Scientific Committee on

Veterinary measures relating to Public Health (SCVPH) to evaluate the

risks to human health from hormone residues in bovine meat and meat

products treated with six hormones for growth promotion.

 

The SCVPH concluded in 1999, in 2000 and again in 2002 that no

acceptable daily intake (ADI) could be established for any of the six

hormones evaluated.

 

For oestradiol 17¥â it concluded that there is a substantial body of

evidence suggesting that oestradiol 17¥â has to be considered as a

complete carcinogen (exerts both tumour initiating and tumour promoting

effects) and that the data available would not allow a quantitative

estimate of the risk.

 

Based on available scientific opinions mentioned above the Commission

proposed in May 2000 to definitively prohibit the use of oestradiol 17¥â

and its ester-like derivatives in farm animals.

 

As regards the five other hormones (testosterone, progesterone,

trenbolone acetate, zeranol and melengestrol acetate), the Commission

proposed to continue provisionally to apply the prohibition on these

five hormones for growth promotion until more complete scientific

information is made available.

 

This means that some of these substances, after re-evaluation by another

scientific committee of the EU, would continue to be authorised only for

therapeutical and zootechnical purposes under specific conditions.

 

The Commission considers that the presentation of this draft legislation

in 2000 represented another step towards the implementation of the

international obligations of the EU whilst maintaining its chosen high

level of health protection. The European Parliament had its first

reading on the proposal in 2001 and it is now up to the Council to adopt

a common position.

 

The Commission will continue to take into account any new emerging

scientific data from any source.

 

Guide to detailed documentation

 

Scientific opinions

 

Press: Result of the Standing Committee on the Food chain on

MPA-contamination, 24 July 2002

 

Press: Result of the Standing Committee on the Food chain on

MPA-contamination, 16 July 2002

 

Press: Food Chain Committee Discussion on MPA-hormones in feed and food

products, 10 July 2002

 

Press: Growth promoting hormones pose health risk to consumers, confirms

EU Scientific Committee, 23 April 2002

 

Opinion on review of previous SCVPH opinions of 30 April 1999 and 3 May

2000 on the potential risks to human health from hormone residues in

bovine meat and meat products (adopted on 10 April 2002) (368KB)

 

Review of specific documents relating to the SCVPH opinion of 30 April

99 on the potential risks to human health from hormone residues in

bovine meat and meat products (adopted on 03 May 2000)(25KB)

 

Press: Growth Hormones in Meat Pose Risk to Consumers - Different Levels

of Evidence, 17 May 1999

 

Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Veterinary Measures Relating to

Public Health: Assessment of potential risks to human health from

hormone residues in bovine meat and meat products (30 April 1999)

 

Legislation

 

Amended Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the

Council amending Council Directive 96/22/EC concerning the prohibition

on the use in stockfarming of certain substances having a hormonal or

thyrostatic action and of beta-agonists (COM(2001) 131 final -

2000/0132(COD)) (Text with EEA relevance), 26 June 2001

 

Press release : Commissioner David Byrne welcomes Council support for

legislation banning hormones as growth promoters, 16 December 2002

Press release : Commission proposes revised legislation banning hormones

as growth promoters, 24 May 2000

 

Proposal for a Directive prohibiting the use of hormonal or thyrostatic

substances and of beta-agonists in stockfarming - COM(2000) 320 final

2000/0132 (COD), 24 May 2000 (+/- 40KB)

 

Council Directive 96/22/EC concerning the prohibition on the use in

stockfarming of certain substances having a hormonal or thyrostatic

action and of ©¬-agonists, and repealing Directives 81/602/EEC,

88/146/EEC and 88/299/EEC, 29 April 1996

 

General and International aspects

 

Press: Hormone free beef from the USA: Additional testing requirements

lifted, 20 February 2002

 

Press: Hormones in Bovine Meat: Background and History of WTO Dispute,

28 September 2001 (45KB)

 

Press: Hormones first Commission debate, 05 May 1999

 

http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/him/him_index_en.html

 

 

 

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