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CNN Live Saturday
Is U.S. Beef Safe?
Aired December 27, 2003 - 18:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, let's explore all of this and what it all means to you, the consumer. Dr. Will Hueston directs the Center for Animal Health and Food Safety at the University of Minnesota. In fact, he took part in an international review of Canada's response to a case of mad cow disease this summer.
Dr. Hueston, thank you very much for joining us.
DR. WILL HUESTON, CENTER FOR ANIMAL HEALTH AND FOOD SAFETY: I'm happy to be here.
LIN: What sort of conclusions can you draw from the USDA's conclusion that this cow probably came from Canada?
HUESTON: Well, it's very good news that the investigation is proceeding so quickly. This means that there's a lot of collaboration between the United States and Canada. And they've been able to track this animal back. And I think we'll find, over the next few days, quite a bit more information coming forward.
LIN: But given it's age and the fact that it came from Canada, some are drawing the conclusion that it means the American public, the chances of it being infected with mad cow disease actually is less. Why is that?
HUESTON: Well, I think people are -- they recognize, most people recognize that Canada experienced a case of BSE, of mad cow disease back in May of this year, May of 2003. And people are saying, well maybe there's some connection that the case in May and this animal might have received feed from a similar batch, or be exposed to the same contamination.
LIN: And therefore, why would there be less risk to the American public and not more?
HUESTON: Well, I think this is just -- people, American consumers are just trying to make sense of this story. You know, it's a very complex issue, this BSE, because the exposure to the cow, the exposure to the contamination undoubtedly took place 4 years or more ago. So it takes such a long time to develop the disease that people are struggling to figure it out and this gives them another clue.
And I think logically people say, aha, Canada, Canada, maybe there's a connection.
LIN: All right, so perhaps not infected here. The good news is, if -- since it was infected, likely, got infected in Canada, maybe an isolated case.
HUESTON: Right.
LIN: OK, got you. All right, in the mean time, what can the public draw from this whole experience here? Would you say that beef is safe to eat here in the United States?
HUESTON: Well, I think the public should take assurance -- I certainly have as a consumer -- I take assurance from seeing how rapidly government agencies have coordinated. You know, we hear daily briefings and you've got 3 different agencies: the Food and Drug Administration, the Food Safety Inspection Service, the Veterinary Services of Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services collaborating in the United States and working with the Canadians. This is good news that we're getting a rapid response to this new disease.
LIN: So as a result of this rapid response, can you feel -- do you feel and can you say that there is a 100 percent guarantee that infected beef did not get into the food supply.
HUESTON: Well, in my work, I'm trained to never say never. But I am comfortable saying that, from my perspective, the work that they're doing, the response is right on target, they're doing the right things, they're doing them rapidly and I think the likelihood of there being a risky exposure to the American public is extremely small, very, very, very small.
LIN: Still, this infected cow actually went to slaughter and its remnants were disseminated. As recently as this summer, before testimony before Congress, the meat industry fought the proposal to actually have these downer cows, or cows which were having difficulty walking, and obviously one of the signs, possibly of mad cow disease.
One proposal was to have every single downer cow, regardless of testing, slaughtered to ensure that mad cow disease could not enter the food supply. The meat industry fought that saying, that wasn't necessary.
Is it possible to ensure the food supply, 100 percent guaranteed, if these downer cows are not automatically slaughtered and disposed of?
HUESTON: Well, the challenge is, how do we put together a system that makes sense, but doesn't cost so many dollars and cents that it increases the price of our food or puts farmers out of business. That's the balancing act that's so tough.
I think that we will see the development of some proposals now for further testing or further handling of these animals that come into slaughter so as to further minimize the likelihood of any BSE material entering the food supply.
LIN: All right. Obviously, getting a lot more attention with the holiday season and many of us looking at our plates and wondering.
HUESTON: Absolutely. LIN: Thank you very much, Dr. Hueston.
HUESTON: You're very welcome.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 27, 2003 - 18:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, let's explore all of this and what it all means to you, the consumer. Dr. Will Hueston directs the Center for Animal Health and Food Safety at the University of Minnesota. In fact, he took part in an international review of Canada's response to a case of mad cow disease this summer.
Dr. Hueston, thank you very much for joining us.
DR. WILL HUESTON, CENTER FOR ANIMAL HEALTH AND FOOD SAFETY: I'm happy to be here.
LIN: What sort of conclusions can you draw from the USDA's conclusion that this cow probably came from Canada?
HUESTON: Well, it's very good news that the investigation is proceeding so quickly. This means that there's a lot of collaboration between the United States and Canada. And they've been able to track this animal back. And I think we'll find, over the next few days, quite a bit more information coming forward.
LIN: But given it's age and the fact that it came from Canada, some are drawing the conclusion that it means the American public, the chances of it being infected with mad cow disease actually is less. Why is that?
HUESTON: Well, I think people are -- they recognize, most people recognize that Canada experienced a case of BSE, of mad cow disease back in May of this year, May of 2003. And people are saying, well maybe there's some connection that the case in May and this animal might have received feed from a similar batch, or be exposed to the same contamination.
LIN: And therefore, why would there be less risk to the American public and not more?
HUESTON: Well, I think this is just -- people, American consumers are just trying to make sense of this story. You know, it's a very complex issue, this BSE, because the exposure to the cow, the exposure to the contamination undoubtedly took place 4 years or more ago. So it takes such a long time to develop the disease that people are struggling to figure it out and this gives them another clue.
And I think logically people say, aha, Canada, Canada, maybe there's a connection.
LIN: All right, so perhaps not infected here. The good news is, if -- since it was infected, likely, got infected in Canada, maybe an isolated case.
HUESTON: Right.
LIN: OK, got you. All right, in the mean time, what can the public draw from this whole experience here? Would you say that beef is safe to eat here in the United States?
HUESTON: Well, I think the public should take assurance -- I certainly have as a consumer -- I take assurance from seeing how rapidly government agencies have coordinated. You know, we hear daily briefings and you've got 3 different agencies: the Food and Drug Administration, the Food Safety Inspection Service, the Veterinary Services of Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services collaborating in the United States and working with the Canadians. This is good news that we're getting a rapid response to this new disease.
LIN: So as a result of this rapid response, can you feel -- do you feel and can you say that there is a 100 percent guarantee that infected beef did not get into the food supply.
HUESTON: Well, in my work, I'm trained to never say never. But I am comfortable saying that, from my perspective, the work that they're doing, the response is right on target, they're doing the right things, they're doing them rapidly and I think the likelihood of there being a risky exposure to the American public is extremely small, very, very, very small.
LIN: Still, this infected cow actually went to slaughter and its remnants were disseminated. As recently as this summer, before testimony before Congress, the meat industry fought the proposal to actually have these downer cows, or cows which were having difficulty walking, and obviously one of the signs, possibly of mad cow disease.
One proposal was to have every single downer cow, regardless of testing, slaughtered to ensure that mad cow disease could not enter the food supply. The meat industry fought that saying, that wasn't necessary.
Is it possible to ensure the food supply, 100 percent guaranteed, if these downer cows are not automatically slaughtered and disposed of?
HUESTON: Well, the challenge is, how do we put together a system that makes sense, but doesn't cost so many dollars and cents that it increases the price of our food or puts farmers out of business. That's the balancing act that's so tough.
I think that we will see the development of some proposals now for further testing or further handling of these animals that come into slaughter so as to further minimize the likelihood of any BSE material entering the food supply.
LIN: All right. Obviously, getting a lot more attention with the holiday season and many of us looking at our plates and wondering.
HUESTON: Absolutely. LIN: Thank you very much, Dr. Hueston.
HUESTON: You're very welcome.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
