McDonald’s Joins Ban on British Beef

Fast food giant McDonald’s said Saturday it was suspending the sale of British beef products in all its restaurants in Britain because of fears that the meat might contain “mad cow disease.”

“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 which has not been restored,” the company said in a statement.

“With immediate effect, McDonald’s products will not contain British beef.”

The decision is yet another blow to the $6-billion British beef industry, waiting to see whether the European Union decides to slap a formal ban on all of its beef exports next week.

Dozens of countries have suspended the import of British beef since the government disclosed Wednesday that scientists had found a possible link between “mad cow disease” and its human equivalent, Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease.

Britain’s Consumer Assn. has told people to stop eating beef.