Les scientifiques auditionnés par la commission d'enquête, dans leur quasi-totalité, ont considéré que les farines ayant alimenté les troupeaux britanniques ont été le vecteur de la transmission de l'agent pathogène ESB. D'autre part, il est établi, que l'abaissement des températures de cuisson en dessous de 130 ˚, pour la fabrication de farines carnées, n'a pas permis l'élimination de l'agent pathogène.
Virtually all the scientists heard by the committee of inquiry took the view that the meal fed to British herds was the vector for transmission of the BSE pathogen; on the other hand, it emerges that the lowering of the cooking temperatures below 130 for the manufacture of meat-based meal did not result in the destruction of the pathogen. Accordingly, by changing their manufacturing processes in this way, the British meal manufacturers caused a major threat to health, initially that of the herds fed with their products and, subsequently, that of the consumers of cattle fed this way.
