AR-News: (US-tx) Crises like mad cow don't weigh on minds of consumers for long

[Animalconcerns]

DALLAS - (KRT) - If the story plays out like past food scares, mad cow
disease will barely cause a ripple in the U.S. beef industry.

Hundreds of people got sick or died from E. coli and hepatitis A, but
futures markets for beef and green onions reacted only briefly. And the
scare over genetically engineered corn in the food supply even pushed
prices up a bit.

The results from research by The Dallas Morning News fly in the face of
conventional wisdom that says a food industry can be devastated by a
medical scare. Instead, it shows that consumers' attention fades quickly
despite blaring headlines, and financial markets follow suit.

Amy Joy Lanou, a doctor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible
Medicine, argues that the rules governing beef-industry practices should
be strengthened to protect consumers, but she was surprised how swiftly
markets forgive food-safety problems.

"Really? Wow. I think we must have this sort of deep-seated belief that
our food supply is safe," she said, although she worries the government
"is giving us a false sense of security."

full story:
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/news/nation/7748117.htm

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