Germany told: Stop exporting BSE-risk meat

International pressure is growing on Germany to stop exporting meat suspected of harbouring BSE, or mad cow disease, following last month's discovery of the infection in German cattle.

The European Union has told the government in Berlin to withdraw from export sausage-meat made of beef from the backbone and warned that it might otherwise force it to do so.

The move follows a sudden reversal of policy by the German health minister, Andrea Fisher, who two days ago urged producers to withdraw the sausages having previously insisted they were safe.

The EU food safety commissioner, David Byrne, said protection given to German consumers should be available throughout the EU.

Two new cases of BSE in Germany have now been confirmed, bringing the total to five. A number of countries have unilaterally banned the import of German beef.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service