Food for thought

Food for thought

This is in response to Mr. Piero Ronci's July 23 letter regarding British beef. Mr. Ronci, how many people die each year in Britain from CJD? Currently 50, or less than one in a million. How many people die each year world-wide from famine and malnutrition? How many people die each year from smoking related illnesses? From road traffic accidents? (In 1995 it was 11,516 in Indonesia alone).

What is the average life expectancy in developing countries? What is the average age of those who have contracted CJD? Old! How many people die each year from heart disease? Does eating beef on a regular basis contribute to heart disease? Do the British still eat their beef?

It is believed that of the ten cases which may have a possible link with Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy the victims all ate the infected beef before the late 1980s, that is before the British government took preventative action seven years ago. The slaughtering of many thousands of cattle destined for the abbatoir merely because of their age is unnecessary. It is only being done because scaremongering by the European (especially German) press and television reports caused ordinary citizens to panic. At the height of the scare, Paul Preston, the president of the British arm of McDonalds, said "We believe that British beef is safe. However, we cannot ignore the fact that recent announcements have led to a growing loss of consumer confidence in British beef."

No one, will force developing countries to buy our beef, the respective governments can make that decision. The beef sold would not be from cattle that are at risk. If the world ban is lifted and Indonesia decides to buy the beef, no one is forcing anyone else to buy it. And yes, I would eat British beef, in fact I may well be doing so by the time this letter is printed.

ANNE-MARIE TAPP

Cilegon, West Java