In 2006, the European Food Safety Authority acknowledged that the SSC opinion was confirmed, that the BSE threat of bone-derived gelatin was small, and that it recommended elimination of the 2003 request to exclude the skull, brain, and vertebrae of bovine origin older than 12 months from the material utilized in gelatin manufacturing. Food and leading amino acids manufacturer Drug Administration (FDA), with support from the TSE (transmissible spongiform encephalopathy) Advisory Committee, started monitoring the potential threat of transmitting animal diseases, especially bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), generally known as mad cow disease.