The Panel noted that in line with another previous opinion on fishmeal there is only a remote risk of fish themselves contracting BSE through potentially BSE blood-contaminated feed. However, the Panel said that a human or animal health risk may arise if recycling of BSE-contaminated bovine blood into feed destined for cattle occurs directly (i.e. bovine blood products fed to cattle) or indirectly (i.e. fishmeal made from fish recently fed with BSE contaminated bovine blood given to cattle). Intraspecies recycling (e.g. cattle to cattle or sheep to sheep) of blood or other animal proteins is not permitted under EU law.

In addition, according to the Panel, there would be an undesired side effect from adding bovine blood to feed for fish, as this would potentially limit the suitability of current detection methods to distinguish between the blood and other prohibited bovine by-products in animal feeds, such as Specified Risk Materials (SRMs) which include cattle brain, spinal cord and other potentially BSE infectious tissues.

The request for this EFSA Opinion came from the European Commission, after the European Animal Protein Association prepared a report supporting the reintroduction of bovine spray dried red cells as an ingredient for feeds destined for farmed fish.