"MadCowDisease" news and stories

Between beef recalls and threats of mad cow disease, the simple action of eating is quickly becoming less of a pleasurable activity and more of a chore, or, in some cases, a big wager.

Think you know your salmonella from your E.Coli? Feeling bored? Test your smarts with National Geographic's food safety quiz. Yes, I know, online quizzes are pretty nerdy, but this one actually provides you with decent information. After you answer each question, the site gives you a brief synopsis of the topic, so you can bulk up on your food safety knowledge for your next dinner party.

Or, even better: when the weather gets warmer and you attend a picnic, turn to your friend as she takes her first bite of chicken salad and bust out with, "Did you know that food borne illnesses are more common in warmer weather?" and watch her spit out her food and glare at you. If nothing else, your new found knowledge will provide you with hours of entertainment.

And when you're finished with that quiz, you can get to know your inner organic foodie. Because, seriously, we know you have nothing better to do.

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Scientific tests just confirmed that a cow in Manitoba, Canada has Mad Cow Disease. Food safety officials first suspected infection earlier last week, but held off commenting officially until the results came back from the laboratory.

Canadians need not worry, though. This isn't likely going to be like the British Mad Cow scare of the mid-1990s. According to the owner, the cow was purchased back in 1992, which means the cow probably contracted the disease prior to the 1996 ruling, which banned unsafe cattle feed.

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or Mad Cow Disease,  is usually transmitted when cows consume infected cattle parts. While this is only the sixth confirmed case of mad cow disease since 2003, Canadian officials recently announced enhancements to the feed ban to block even more high-risk cattle parts from pet foods and fertilizers. 

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