Retailers and consumers have little to fear from Britain's first-ever cases of the Bluetongue animal virus, meat industry leaders insisted this week.

They rubbished media scaremongering about the disease and said it posed no threat to meat supplies because two of the cows affected were from the same farm in Suffolk and did not constitute an outbreak. A third case was also confirmed nearby.

"This is mainly an animal health issue. The only impact on the meat industry is the knock-on effect Bluetongue could have on exports," said Stuart Roberts, director general of the British Meat Processors Association. "But with the current foot and mouth situation, this new disease doesn't make much difference at present."

The Food Standards Agency also moved to reassure consumers about Bluetongue. The disease was not contagious and could not be passed to humans, it said in a statement on its website. "Meat and milk are safe to eat and there is no danger either to food handlers or consumers," the agency added.

The NFU said Bluetongue was a psychological blow to livestock farmers, but accused the media of blowing the situation out of proportion.

"It was always expected that the disease could come here," said chief livestock adviser Peter King. "The media has overstated the situation - we love to create a crisis. It's not as serious or as contagious as foot and mouth, which remains our priority."

As The Grocer went to press, the BTV8 virus, which has been confirmed on more than 4,000 farms in north west Europe this summer, had not triggered a full containment response from Defra.

Chief vet Debby Reynolds decided there was no need to impose a potentially disruptive 93 mile surveillance zone over East Anglia and the eastern section of the Home Counties, unless officials found evidence that the disease was still being circulated by infected midges.

The disease would only become a threat if an outbreak prompted export restrictions in the wake of foot and mouth, said experts.

"The large Bluetongue surveillance zone could have a serious impact on exports," said Roberts.

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