Researched by Jennifer M
Originally published Feb 2001


  Is German Beef Safe?

On November 24, 2000, German agriculture received perhaps the biggest shock of the year - a cow born and raised in Germany tested positive for BSE or bovine spongiform encephalopathy, otherwise known as mad cow disease. This case was soon to be followed by several others, thereby shattering the German claim that its beef was BSE-Free and setting loose a wave of consumer panic in the pre-Christmas season. This discovery further led to political turmoil causing the Minister of Health Andrea Fischer and the Minister of Agriculture Karl-Heinz Funke to resign after the beginning of the year. The Ministry of Agriculture has been re-named the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and Agriculture and the new Minister is the former co-spokesperson for the Green Party, Renate Künast. This new focus on consumer safety undermines the traditionally powerful farmer's lobby, but German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder is determined to push through the new hard line in spite of political pressure, not only from the agro-industrial bosses but also from the opposition CDU/CSU.

But just what is BSE anyway? It is caused by an aberrant protein, called a prion, which attacks the brains of cows, turning them literally into sponge-like masses. As early as 1984, scientists found cows in England suffering from a mysterious disease that only in 1987 became known as BSE. The cause of the disease has been traced to feeding English cows meat and bone meal made from sheep cadavers infected with scrapie, a similar disease found only in sheep. BSE is an infectious disease and is transmitted by feeding infected meat products to live animals. There are also indications that it can be passed from mother to child during birth. No evidence exists that the disease can be passed directly from animal to animal, but scientific studies are still extremely lacking in this area. House pets, however, can become infected with BSE from eating contaminated meat products.

The main cause of BSE, therefore, is the use of meat and bone meal from infected cadavers (Tiermehl) as feed for cattle. This practice, instituted by the animal feed industry due to its cheap means of production and profit-winning focus, has only been prohibited in the European Union since 1994. Germany and France have been strict opponents of such a ban since its introduction. The question remains: why have so many German cows recently tested positive for BSE? A new study indicates that the milk powder used to feed calves is the culprit, it is made from fat and other substances from dead cows. However, since the discovery of BSE in German cows last November, its use has also come under fire. Since November of last year, a total ban on meat and bone-based feed has been implemented in Germany, and Germany is also now strongly supporting similar bans at the EU-level. The suspiscous milk powder, however, is exempt from this ban because its producers claim that it is only made from animal parts also designated for human consumption, such as fat and scraps left over after trimming cuts of beef.

If the disease stopped at affected cows, this entire scenario might not have created so much turmoil; but it has been scientifically proven that BSE can be passed on to humans through the consumption of infected meat products. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a similar disease found in humans but normally affecting only the elderly, has taken on a new face as a result of humans coming in contact with BSE pathogens. This new version is called new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (nvCJD) and several cases and deaths have already been identified, over 80 in England alone, affecting people of all ages. There is no cure, nor treatment, nor test to check for accuracy of diagnosis. The only tests available for both humans and cattle can only be accomplished by examining brain tissue after death.

The contagiousness of BSE has yet to be scientifically researched. More than likely, a certain amount of infected material would have to be consumed before risk of infection increased. This amount, however, is not yet known. Consumption of specific risk materials (SRMs) can significantly increase the likelihood of contracting nvCJD. These include brain, spinal cord, eyes, stomach, spleen, bone marrow and parts of the intestines to name a few. Although it is highly unlikely that muscle tissue contains enough pathogens to cause an infection, infected substances can come into contact with uncontaminated body parts during slaughter and processing. Milk is not currently believed to be an SRM and no cases have been reported where milk served as a carrier of the BSE-causing pathogen. Gelatin, however, is another story due to the fact that it is produced from bone meal. In Germany, it is said that commercial gelatin is produced up to 90 per cent from pork bones. In addition, the aggressive processing of bones to gelatin is also suspected of eliminating the BSE pathogens, however, no specific evidence of this exists.

1. To date, the consumption of pure muscle tissue is seen as harmless and having no health consequences. Consumption of sausage, on the other hand, should be done carefully. Pre-packed sausage must declare all ingredients on the lable. When purchasing unpacked sausage directly from the butcher, you must trust that what the butcher says is accurate regarding exact ingredients. In addition, do not assume just because you have purchased sausage made from turkey or pork that no beef components are present - be sure to check the ingredients lable carefully. It is impossible to cook the BSE out of infected meat in your own kitchen. It must be heated to a temperature of 133° Celsius, for 20 minutes, under a pressure of 3 bar. The best advice is to just avoid sausage.



2. One way to significantly reduce risk is to purchase organic meat. Of course it cannot be guaranteed that organic meet is BSE-free, but it does have specific advantages over conventional beef. Number one is that organic farmers are not allowed to use feed made from meat and bone meal nor milk powder derived from the same - only naturally occuring products, which are mostly produced on their own farms, such as clover, beans and peas, all organic, of course. And calves are nurtured with milk from their mothers.



3. Another way to reduce risk is to purchase meat from local producers. The more transparent the process is from calf to steak, the easier it is to trace responsibility and ensure accurateness of claims.



4. When purchasing meat, always ask about the origin of the product. Consumer pressure is one way of bringing home the message to the meat industry and getting them to change their unhealthy practices.



5. Argentinian beef is to date known to be safe from BSE. There is, however, no absolute security.



6. Switch to pork and poultry products. To date there is no evidence that BSE can jump from species to species and, therefore, at the moment, pork and poultry products are seen to be BSE-free.



7. Use vegetable products whenever possible, for example vegetable broth (Gemüsebrühe) instead of beef bouillon (Rinderbrühe) or carob powder (Johannisbrotkernmehl), apple pectin, agar agar or agave gel (Agavendicksaft) instead of gelatin.



8. Avoid processed foods containing beef products since the history and origin of the meat cannot be traced.



9. Avoid baby food containing beef products. Babies do not need beef. Whole grains are an excellent source of iron and more healthy for your baby. And whole grains combined with a milk product also make a complete protein and are an excellent meat replacement.



10. Switch to herbal cosmetic products. Products containing gelatin, collagen and elastin have more than likely been produced partially from beef products and should be avoided to exclude all risks.

• The Official Mad Cow Disease Homepage



• Information about organic agriculture in Germany, including a listing of organic butchers sorted by zip code (Postleitzahl): Stiftung Ökologische Landbau



• Search Engine for organic products, distributors, shops and farms in Germany: Die grüne Suchmaschine



• Questions and Answers about BSE (Fragen und Antworten zu BSE): Bayerische Landesanstalt für Ernährung



• Organic Baby Food: Demeter, Bioland, Granovita



• Organic Baby Foods and Other Natural Foods: Alnatura