The correct disposition of a bovine tuberculosis reactor carcass without visible lesions of tuberculosis is to:

• A. Pass for cooking
• B. Pass without restriction
• C. Condemn the carcass and viscera
• D. Condemn the viscera only

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is salvage by processing methods that will destroy the agent if it might be present. A bovine tuberculosis reactor carcass that shows no visible lesions is not automatically condemned; instead, it can be allowed to enter products that will be cooked. Mycobacterium bovis, the TB agent in cattle, can be in tissues even when there are no gross lesions, but proper cooking temperatures destroy the bacteria. So allowing the carcass to be processed for cooking provides a way to eliminate the infection risk through heat, whereas leaving the carcass untreated for raw consumption would pose a risk.

Passing for cooking acknowledges that the product will undergo a heat treatment to inactivate potential bacteria, rather than condemning the entire carcass or its viscera when there are no visible lesions. If there were visible lesions or other signs of systemic disease, the disposition would be different (typically condemnation).