Growing European Demand for Mad Cow Test

U.S. company Bio-Rad Laboratories (Hercules, CA) has become a leading provider of tests for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in Europe. The company reports it has received orders for more than one million enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for BSE, known as mad cow disease.

Since October 2000, the fear of BSE has spread quickly throughout Europe, as more cattle were found with the disease. Cows with BSE have been discovered in France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, and Italy. On January 1, 2001, the countries of the European Union commenced mandatory testing of all beef livestock over the age of 30 months in order to insure the highest quality and safety of the European food chain. According to media reports, seven million cattle will have to be tested in Europe this year.

Called Platelia, Bio-Rad's test was selected by the European Commission (EC) as one of the three most sensitive BSE tests and is among the three approved in the most recent EC report. Two independent reports commissioned by a directorate of the EC further substantiated Bio-Rad's test as the preferred test for diagnosing BSE in European cattle. The test is in a screening format for use in high throughput environments, providing results in about four hours.

To meet the demand for tests, Bio-Rad has increased manufacturing capabilities at its French facilities and is mobilizing employees around the world to support the scaling up of production. "We have allocated substantial resources to ensure that we can rapidly meet the growing needs for a quick, clear, and accurate test,” said David Schwartz, president and CEO of Bio-Rad.



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