The Food and Drug Administration may announce as early as Friday its long-awaited rules to protect animal feed and human dietary supplements from mad cow disease, two industry officials said on Friday.
The FDA in late January announced a series of new safeguards to protect the food and feed supply from the brain-wasting disease after the first U.S. case was found in a Washington state cow in December.
The agency said at the time it would swiftly publish detailed rules to carry out the changes.
Two food industry officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the FDA could announce its proposed rules as early as Friday. They said the FDA may first publish regulations for the food supply, then issue the feed rules later.
USDA officials late Thursday told congressional staffers that FDA action was imminent, according to a Senate aide who attended the briefing.
FDA officials were not immediately available to comment.
The FDA said on Jan. 26 it would ban animal blood in cattle feed, as well as ensure that dietary supplements and cosmetics are kept free of materials from cattle too sick or hurt to walk.
The FDA said it would also ban brain, skull and spinal material from cattle 30 months and older in FDA-regulated food and cosmetics. The measure reflects a similar U.S. Agriculture Department rule imposed on the meat industry in January.
Animal feed mills will be required to use separate equipment and facilities when processing materials prohibited in cattle feed.
The brain-wasting disease is believed to be spread when the remains of infected animals are used to make feed for other cattle.