With regard to your concerns about Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (Mad Cow Disease) having any negative impact on beef gelatin, we would present the following information to allay them: There are no Specified Risk Materials used in the production of gelatin. (This includes skulls, spinal cords, brains, eyes, tonsils, intestines, etc.) The only parts of the cattle that are brought to a beef hide gelatin and manufacturing plant are the hides. Even in the case of infected animals, the National Institute of Health states that the infective agent in B.S.E. does not appear in cowhides. Moreover, the cowhides used in the manufacture of our gelatin are from countries and herds that have never been affected by B.S.E. These animals were inspected by veterinarians from the respective agricultural ministries ante and post mortem and were found free from disease and fit for human consumption. Our suppliers provide us with this documentation, which is made available to the U.S.D.A. under the terms of our import agreement. In addition, it is stated in the F.D.A. document “Guidance for Industry” dated July 1998 and updated March 5, 2001 (CFR 589.2000) that “… gelatin is exempt under the B.S.E. regulation. Data available to the F.D.A. suggests that gelatin does not transmit the transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy agent. The conventional manufacturing process for beef hide gelatin has been demonstrated to inactivate in a significant way, any residual activity that may have been present in source tissues.”

This process includes:
1) An alkali treatment that entails soaking hides at a pH of 12.5 for a period of 30-60 days or a treatment in sodium hydroxide at a pH of 14 for 4-6 days.
2) Hot water extractions in temperatures ranging from 55oC to 90oC.
3) Filtration at temperatures of approximately 55oC.
4) Deionization at approximately 55oC in an environment with a pH range as low as 2 and as high as 14.
5) A sterilization process that involves injecting steam directly into the gelatin to raise the temperature to 140oC (4 - 8 seconds UHTST) and vacuum flash cooling to cool liquid as rapidly as it was heated.
6) A drying process in which moisture is removed from the gelatin in 6 to 8 temperature stages of 45oC to 65oC. In conclusion, considering that there are no Specified Risk Materials used in the gelatin manufacturing process, the animals used are documented to be healthy and from non B.S.E. affected sources, and also the harshness of the gelatin extraction-purification process, we find it inconceivable that gelatin can be anything but a safe and healthful product.

To read more about BSE please go to GMIA website.