November 2004
Dear Paula,
I saw an article in the Chicago Sun-Times about the United States government considering a ban on ingredients derived from animal brains and spinal cords that are used in some makeup products and moisturizers.

What types of ingredients are from the brain and spinal column? I am guessing collagen may be one. Since I am a vegetarian, I would like to avoid those ingredients if possible.

Aimee, via email

Dear Aimee,
The FDA ban on cosmetic ingredients derived from cows is a result of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), more commonly known as Mad Cow Disease. This fatal disease affects adult cattle. To date, the only cow found to be infected with BSE in the United States was one diagnosed with BSE in Washington State in December 2003.

According to the FDA, "On January 8, 2004, the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service issued new rules to enhance safeguards against BSE." Also in 2004, [the] FDA issued a rule that prohibits the use of certain cattle material, because of the risk of BSE, in human food and cosmetics: (Source: http://www.fda.gov).

From a consumer's perspective, there really is no way to tell from a product's ingredient list exactly what the source of an ingredient is—and companies are surely not going to tell me, either. You're right in assuming that collagen or elastin in cosmetics can come from cows, but they are just as likely to be derived from plants, and nowadays, usually are. Rarely, some products clearly contain placenta or spleen extract, but these may come from sheep or pigs and not cows. In soaps, one standard ingredient is often tallow, which is commonly derived from cows; however, the FDA has stated that tallow, in most conditions, is not a problem for BSE (Source: Cosmetics & Toiletries Magazine, June 2004, page 37). As a vegetarian you would want to stay away from those products anyway, but for other consumers, it would be an option to avoid products containing any animal organ extracts, not only for their potential health risk, but also because they have no real benefit for skin. In the meantime, the USDA ban is our best safeguard.