Texas BSE scare hits burger shares
26 January 2001
Texas BSE scare hits burger shares
By FWi staff
BSE fears in the USA resulted in shares in burger chain McDonalds falling within moments of cattle being placed in quarantine in Texas.
The quarantine order was given after it emerged that a feed mill had failed to follow regulations banning meat and bonemeal fed to ruminants.
This is the first time this action has been taken by the Food and Drug Administration, reports The Independent.
No trace of BSE has been found, but the animals are being kept in isolation until it is established if they are fit for human consumption.
Shares in McDonalds fell 7% within minutes of the news from Texas emerging.
A fortnight ago, the FDA revealed that some mills were still mixing animal products with feed for cattle and failing to put warnings on labels.
The same newspaper reports that Portugal is slaughtering 50,000 cattle in an effort to eradicate BSE from its herds.
Cattle aged over 30 months are being destroyed at a rate of 3000 per week.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation has warned that it is highly likely home-grown BSE existed outside western Europe.
The Middle East, eastern Europe, North Africa and India were at risk after importing meat and bonemeal feeds from infected countries.
- The Independent 26 January, 2001 page 13 and 17
- The Daily Telegraph 26 January, page 22