With a confirmed case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), Brazil's agricultural ministry has halted shipments to China as part of a trade protocol.

As the country is the largest export destination for Brazilian beef, taking almost 60% last month, the news is a blow to local meat packers such as JBS, Marfrig and Minerva.

The case was classified “atypical”, meaning it likely occurred spontaneously. The strain also differs from that linked to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans and is often attributed to infected feed and bone meal. For this reason, the ban is likely to be short-lived.

An earlier ban for another atypical case back in 2021 lasted three months, however.

Image: Helena Lopes via Unsplash.

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