‘Mad Cow’ a non-issue in Newport-Mesa

Lolita Harper

Business representatives are putting great distance between the

sickly Holstein that recently tested positive for “mad cow” disease

and the meat they provide to customers here.

Butchers and restaurant owners unanimously denounced any

connection between the Washington state animal, which on Thursday was

confirmed to have the degenerative brain disease, bovine spongiform

encephalopathy, saying their choice cuts of beef are not the ones

affected.

Costa Mesa Mayor Gary Monahan, one of the only local owners

willing to go on the record about the “mad cow” scare, said it was a

non-issue at his Newport Boulevard pub, Skosh Monahan’s.

“Hey, they found one cow and it has been taken care of,” Monahan

said. “Unless something else happens, I am confident that the meat

supply is safe.”

The Animal Plant and Health Services -- a division of the United

States Department of Agriculture -- held a news conference Friday

morning to answer national concern about the brain-decaying, bovine

disease. Officials, such as Ron DeHaven, a doctor for the division,

insisted that the meat supply was safe, adding that all the beef from

the cow’s Sept. 9 slaughter had been recalled.

On Wednesday it was discovered that meat from a slaughtered cow at

Vern Moses Lake Meat tested positive for the bovine disease,

officials said. Samples of meat from that cow were received at the

National Veterinary Service Laboratory for testing, but because of

the large quantity of samples it receives -- about 20,000 -- the meat

was not tested until Dec. 23, DeHaven said.

Food and safety officials immediately began the exhaustive search

to track down where the infected animal came from, because it is

believed the disease was acquired from the animals feed, which most

likely contained infected animal parts. Although there were confirmed

cases of the bovine disease in Canada in May, it would be premature

to assume the cow came from there.

The meat produced at that plant on Dec. 9 was subject to a recall

by the Food and Safety Inspection Service, however, officials cannot

account for how much of that meat has been recovered. DeHaven added

that such actions were simply precautionary and not because officials

are scared about the safety of the meat supply.

Various owners, managers and employees of local meat market,

restaurants and delis refused to attach their business names to a

story about “mad cow” disease because of the negative connotation.

All seven interviewed, however, insisted it was the poorer quality

meats that would most likely be affected, if at all.

The disease is found in the cow’s brain, spinal chord and

connective tissues. Choice and premium cuts of meat, made largely of

the animal’s muscle, are not effected.

Monahan said, if anything, this reported case of bovine spongiform

encephalopathy could help small business owners such as himself. The

market price of beef -- which large chain restaurants and stores with

big contracts don’t have to pay -- have been astronomical in recent

months, he said.

“It might just make domestic beef prices more affordable,” Monahan

said.

As far as consumer fears about beef, Monahan said that has yet to

be seen, as it has only been a few days since the disease was

confirmed.

Regardless, he insists he has a wide variety of other options

besides his signature steaks.

“Because of that increase in beef prices, I had already started

focusing on other menu items such as lamb, seafood and lamb steak --

I even brought in swordfish,” Monahan said. “So, it doesn’t worry me

because I have a varied menu.”