Specified risk material

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A specified risk material is a part of an animal that is considered by a regulatory agency to be most likely to be contaminated with prions in the event the animal was infected by a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy. In cows, SRMs are defined as: skull, brain, trigeminal ganglia (nerves attached to brain and close to the skull exterior), eyes, spinal cord, distal ileum (a part of the small intestine), and the dorsal root ganglia (nerves attached to the spinal cord and close to the vertebral column) of cattle aged 30 months or older. SRMs are generally disposed of or used to feed prion resistant animals. In countries classified as undetermined risk, the OIE code recommends SRM removal as follows: tonsils and intestines in cattle at all ages; brains, eyes, spinal cord, skull and vertebral column from animals over twelve months of age. While SRM removal deals with most ofthe prions, people can still be infected.