ervelat, a favorite sausage of Swiss, is facing shortage. And before it totally disappears by the end of the year, meat producers have created 'task force cervelat' to save the national sausage.

The task force comprised of scientists, industry players and bureaucrats is all set to address the shortfall of one of the sausage's main ingredient, the intestines of Brazilian cows.

Switzerland's population of seven million people consume around 160 million cervelat sausages every year. Swiss meat producers were hoping to sell cervelats to thousands of soccer fans who will troop to the country for the final round of 2008 European championships-that is if they will have enough supply of the sausage.

Cervelats are directly affected by European Union (EU) restrictions banning the import of cow intestines from Brazil over fears of mad cow disease contamination. While not a member of EU, Switzerland follows EU import policies.

Swiss meat industry players have tapped alternative suppliers of cow intestines such as South Africa, Paraguay and Uruguay. But according to them, Brazil's cow intestines, from native Zebu cattle, are the most ideal for cervelat sausage.