Award-winning Scottish crisps banned from America because of BSE fears

Taypack Potatoes, based near Inchture, supplies Mackie's crisps and the firm is aiming to break into the lucrative export market.

However, this move has received a major setback with Mackie's Aberdeen Angus beef-flavoured crisps being banned in America over fears about BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy), which can cause the brain condition known as 'mad cow disease.'

BSE came to the fore in 1986 and reached its peak in 1993, with around 1,000 infected cattle being identified each week. Farms across the country were forced to introduce strict measures.

Mackie's moved on to its crisps range following its production of ice cream. Its Scotch Bonnet crisps recently won a gold star at the 2011 Great Taste Awards and also won the Snacking Category Award at the Scotland Food and Drink Excellence Awards 2011.

The crisps are popular in Europe, Japan and Hong Kong, and the firm was hopeful of capturing the American market. However, the ban has forced the company to produce an alternative brand.

Kirstin Mackie (42), managing director at Mackie's of Taypack, explained: ''The ban is something we never even thought about as the BSE outbreak was so long ago and we have the stringest regulations here to ensure the highest quality and safety. America is the only country to ban the beef used in our crisps.

''Aberdeen Angus is one of our top-selling flavours and in order to crack the US market — the toughest and one of the most lucrative for crisps — we had to change our recipe to beef-free.

''I had travelled to New York last year in a bid to sound out the market and had a stall at a food event. There was an incredible interest.''

Mackie's of Taypack will now produce a vegetarian version for the American market, which will taste of steak but not contain any meat products.