What Animal Products Are Free Of Prions?

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What Animal Products Are Free Of Prions?

 

ECureMe.com

12-6-2

 

Many consumers have become aware of at least some of these compelling

statistics regarding prion-related diseases. This has naturally

prompted questions as to which animal products present risk to

humans.

 

Most of the focus of late has been on beef, which is

warranted. Although organ tissue carries the greatest risk, animal

studies do suggest that meat (from animal muscle alone) can transmit

prion-related diseases.47

This is not surprising since muscle is interlaced with lymph and nervous

tissue--two tissues known to be infected with BSE.48

 

However, we cannot exclude the possibility that milk may also carry

disease-inducing prions. Many may recall how some

years ago assurances were given that a mother could not pass HIV to

her child by nursing.49

Of course, we now know that HIV can be transmitted in breast milk.50

 

Granted, prion diseases are vastly different from HIV. The risk from

milk does appear to be smaller than from eating beef or cattle

organ tissues.

 

Nonetheless, a British BSE expert has pointed out that

at least one human case suggests passage of prions in milk.

 

A Japanese woman dying of CJD was found to have the infectious agent in her

colostrum

(the type of breast milk made in the initial days

following delivery).51

 

Milk has been under suspicion in established medical circles. It was one of the

products targeted when the United

Kingdom was beginning to recognize the magnitude of the mad cow

problem. The action taken against milk by the British government is

explained in Figure 11: Milk from BSE Infected Cattle is Banned.52

 

Both humans and animals were banned from consuming an infected cow's

milk. Unfortunately, as we have already noted, animals are infected

with the BSE prion long before they manifest any symptoms.

 

When infected symptom-free cows are milked, their milk is mixed in

collection tanks with milk from healthy cows.

 

If the prion is present in milk, it could theoretically contaminate the whole

collection tank.

 

Pasteurization cannot destroy prions, so that process provides

no consolation. Although at this time it cannot be stated for certain

that milk can transmit a prion-related disease, many are wondering:

is it worth taking the chance?

 

Eating the flesh of animals other than cows or drinking their milk

may not be safe either.

 

These other animals may also be infected with prion-related diseases.

 

As already mentioned, some 20 animal species,

including sheep and goats, can become infected with the transmissible

spongiform encephalopathies.

 

Suspicions are also raised concerning products made from animal glands.

 

Health food stores often feature a variety of supplements that include glandular

extracts.

 

These agents appear to have a higher risk of prion contamination and thus I

think

it is prudent to avoid them.

 

 

References

47 Dealler S, Lacey R. Beef and bovine spongiform encephalopathy: the

risk persists. Nutr Health 1991;7(3):117-133.

 

48 Groschup MH, Weiland F, Pfaff E " Detection of scrapie agent in the

peripheral nervous system of diseased sheep. " Goettingen prion

meeting November 1995 http://www.airtime.co.uk/bse/intm.htm

 

49 Jelliffe DB, Jelliffe EF. HIV and breastmilk: non-proven alarmism.

J Trop Pediatr 1988 Aug;34(4):142.

 

50 US Dept. Of Health and Human Services. Managing Early HIV

Infection Quick Reference Guide for Clinicians: Number 7. AHCPR

Publication No. 94-0573, January 1994 p. 14.

 

51 Tamai Y, Kojima H, et al. Demonstration of the transmissible agent

in tissue from a pregnant woman with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. N

Engl J Med 1992 Aug 27;327(9):649.

 

52 Pratt K. Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy. Fact sheet. Animal and

Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS). U.S. Department of

Agriculture, 1991Jul p. 1.

 

 

Notice of Credit

The article above is compliments of the Uchee Pines Institute, Seale,

Alabama, a teaching and treatment facility devoted to natural

remedies. For mor information, call 334-855-4781,e-mail:

ucheepine, or visit their Website: http://www.ucheepines.org.

 

http://www.ecureme.com/emyhealth/natural/n_animal_diseases7.asp

 

 

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