Over the last several years, there have been numerous articles describing recent outbreaks of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). BSE is a prion (protein) based neurological disease characterized by uncoordinated, confused, and aggressive cattle.

BSE, also termed Mad Cow Disease, is one of a group of progressive neurological diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, or TSEs (named for deteriorated areas of the brain that look like sponges). Various forms of TSE have been reported, including scrapie in sheep and chronic wasting disease in elk and mule deer.

It is generally believed that the use of recycled animal parts led to the cross-species contamination of scrapie in sheep to mad cow disease, and the ingestion of contaminated beef and bovine products led to the human variant of this disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD).

BSE is believed to have arisen from cattle feed supplemented with sheep byproducts and other bovine products leftover from the rendering process. Ironically, the material with the highest concentration of BSE prions was also the material most commonly used in animal feed to increase its protein content (bovine brain, spinal cord and bone marrow have been classified as SRM, specified risk material).

In addition to animal feed, bovine derivative products make their way into everyone's life at some point or another. For example, bovine bones, which have been found to be a major store for BSE prions, are boiled to produce gelatin, which is used in medical products, food, and cosmetics.

In response to public concern over BSE, increased attention has been focused on bovine processing and the risk from bovine derived products, including the use of bovine collagen and gelatin for pharmaceuticals. Issues raised include the need for more information on the disease and its transmission as well as the need for alternative products and regulations to prevent the spread of TSE's.