Bush administration eases strict mad cow safeguard
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration on Tuesday eased regulations restricting the use of cattle parts in certain animal feed, a safeguard considered the main defense against mad cow disease.
The Food and Drug Administration said it would no longer designate a cattle's entire small intestine as prohibited material in cattle feed.
"FDA is amending the rule to allow use of the small intestine in human food and cosmetics, provided that the distal ileum has been removed," the agency said.
The Agriculture Department was expected to make similar changes to its rules.
After the discovery of the first U.S. case of mad cow disease in December 2003, the federal government implemented a series of strict regulations preventing the spread of the brain-wasting disease.
