Mad Cow Disease
 

I was told not to eat any beef when I go to Paris in April due to Mad Cow Disease being a problem in Europe. Does anyone have any information. My sister-in-law said the red cross won't take blood from anyone who's lived in Europe in the last 20 years. Is this blown out of proportion or should we be careful about the meat we eat over there?

I won't tell you where I work, but I get information on the problem daily. While I'm not panicking, I recognize that there are less than truthful answers given by any government when it feels fear or a big expense headed their way. I'll be going overseas this year and will not eat beef in Europe, unless someone can prove the beef is imported from US, probably not even then. While I know that the link between humans eating affected meat and catching the disease is weak, what the heck - eat chicken, pork, fish, for a couple weeks. Or in France, horsemeat maybe?

Stephanie <BR>there's a thread farther back on BSE (not the infamous bacon one) you may want to look at. The red cross is not taking blood from folks who have stayed for 6 months or more in britian since something like 1993, a short trip doesn't seem to be an issue for them.

I live in France part-time. My neighbors in France, along with almost half the French population according to recent news polls, have either stopped eating beef or stopped buying it from all but "trusted suppliers." There are so many other wonderful things to eat in France that this is hardly a sacrifice. As for the blood issue, the Red Cross has stated it will not accept blood from any American who has lived for a TOTAL OF 6 MONTHS in Europe over the past two decades. The chances of contracting the disease are, in fact, minimal, but of course if you do, it's Sayonara. I'd stay away from the tournédos and the daube de boeuf in Paris, personally.

There has been so many threads on this recently. Please bear in mind we will not eat US beef here in Europe due to the problems with growth hormone, but I guess you eat that every day? Please calculate the risk, which is so low as to be almost nil that while on holiday in France you will contract "Mad cow disease" from eating beef. Also make sure you never cross the road,take a taxi, fly here by plane or breathe in others smoke while here,ect ect those things are MUCH more risky (sorry about shouting).I think it is blown slightly out of proportion (imho). There is a good objective research based web site on the issue run by Edinburgh University but I have forgotten the address, I will try and remember it and post it here. It will give you the facts.

An informative web site is the following (Edinburgh University based) <BR> <BR>http://www.cjd.ed.ac.uk/

<BR> As I already said in another thread, even while the risk is minimal, you shouldn't eat beef if you're worried. That for your peace of mind, to avoid to be wondering thereafter and forever if you could have made a major mistake eating it.

I had a steak in Paris a little over a month ago - so far, my brain is no more sponge-like than it was before. I think you take a chance any time you eat out - (have you check the hosted forum with the restaurant inspector??)