The Facts About Mad Cow Disease
Isolated appearance in Washington cow not seen as danger to American consumers.
The recent detection of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in a Washington cow has focused media attention on the safety of America's meat supply and prompted the US Department of Agriculture to reaffirm its confidence in the safety and quality of American beef.
What is BSE?
BSE, or "Mad Cow Disease", is a nervous system disorder that causes cattle to lose coordination and weight. Eventually, affected animals die. BSE is an animal disease of concern to the industry and health officials because of its potential to affect human health, even though the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and others say the risk to humans is extremely small.
Should I continue to eat beef?
Yes! You can be confident in the safety of U.S. beef becaue our government has taken strong steps to ensure there isn't an outbreak of BSE in this country. When BSE was discovered in cattle in the United Kingdom in 1986, no one knew it was spread through contaminated feed. Since then, strict procedures at U.S. meat processors have been in place. USDA veterinarians at every meat packing plant check cattle for signs of disease and successfully identified the single cow in Washington state that initially tested positive for BSE.
BSE is spread through a protein found in the spinal cord and brain of infected animals. These parts of cattle aren't commonly consumed by Americans and have long been banned as ingredients in animal feed in the U.S. Studies indicate BSE has never been found in beef muscle meats such as steaks, roasts, and ground beef; nor has it ever been found in milk or dairy products.
Why are people concerned about BSE?
When BSE was initially discovered in the United Kingdom in the mid 1980's, there were some instances where humans who ate the brain or nervous system tissue of infected animals developed a human variant of BSE. These tissues are typically not consumed by Americans and not included in foods sold in this country.
Can BSE spread to more cattle?
The Harvard Center for Risk Analysis considered this question and notes that though there was a risk BSE would appear in the U.S., procedures adopted since the late 1980's should prevent the disease from spreading and affecting animals or people. In Washington State, the affected animal was identified and the farm is under quarantine.
Where can I learn more?
For more information about BSE, visit these authoritative sources:
http://www.usda.gov
http://meatami.org
http://bseinfo.org
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