Editing Mechanically separated meat (section)

=== European Union / United Kingdom ===

Concerns over BSE first arose in 1986 in the [[United Kingdom]]. Since mechanically separated beef often contained small amounts of [[spinal cord]] tissue, which can carry the BSE [[prion]], consuming mechanically separated meat from bovine carcasses carried an increased risk of transmitting BSE to humans. The EU tightened restrictions multiple times starting in 1989, to decrease the risk of spinal cord tissue getting into mechanically separated bovine meat.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=[[BBC News]] |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1482140.stm |title=What is mechanically recovered meat |date=August 9, 2001 |accessdate=2011-11-20}}</ref> In the mid-1990s the UK banned mechanically separated meat from cattle backbone, which was expanded to include backbone from any [[ruminant]] in 1998 (under European Commission Decision 97/534/EC),<ref name=rep97>{{cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/food/fs/sc/oldcomm4/out16_en.html|title= Report On Mechanically Recovered Meat Health Rules Applicable To The Production And Use Of Mechanically Recovered Meat - Report of the Scientific Veterinary Committee|date=16 September 1997 |accessdate=2015-06-27|website=Health and Food Safety {{!}} European Commission|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091003200601/http://ec.europa.eu/food/fs/sc/oldcomm4/out16_en.html|archive-date=2009-10-03}}</ref> and any ruminant bone in 2001. In 2004, under Regulation (EC) No 853/2004, MSM from all ruminants are banned for human consumption.<ref name=efsa-microbe>{{cite web |title=Mechanically separated meat: EFSA advises on public health risks and detection methods {{!}} EFSA |url=https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press/news/130327a |website=www.efsa.europa.eu |language=en |date=27 March 2013}}</ref>

As of 1997, the European Union regulates MSM by the source material, fat (and peroxidation value), protein, and calcium content, bone particle sizes, and by how it is produced and stored.<ref name=rep97/> Since 2010,<!-- COM/2010/0704, CELEX #52010DC0704 --> the European Union distinguishes between low-pressure MSM and high-pressure MSM.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Scientific Opinion on the public health risks related to mechanically separated meat (MSM) derived from poultry and swine |journal=EFSA Journal |date=March 2013 |volume=11 |issue=3 |doi=10.2903/j.efsa.2013.3137|doi-access=free }}</ref> "Low pressure" MSM is produced by [[advanced meat recovery]] (AMR) and is similar to mince meat in terms of appearance and the extent of muscle fiber damage.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mechanically separated meat and meat structure |url=https://www.newfoodmagazine.com/article/16998/mechanically-separated-meat-and-meat-structure/ |website=New Food Magazine |language=en}}</ref> In a conventional high-pressure process, the meat is pressed through a sieve and the result is the typical paste. High-pressure MSM comes with more risk of [[Microorganism|microbial]] growth. However, if European regulations are followed (high-pressure MSM must be immediately [[Frozen food|frozen]] and can only be used in cooked products), there is no additional risk compared to conventional meat products.<ref name=efsa-microbe/> Low-pressure MSM corresponds to the class of AMR meat in US regulation, while high-pressure MSM corresponds to the class of MSM.