WASHINGTON, Nov 18 (AFP) - Tissue from a possible mad cow was being tested, US agricultural authorities announced Thursday, triggering a dip in beef-related businesses.
The US Department of Agriculture said a field test came up positive for the disease, known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).
"Early this morning, we were notified that an inconclusive BSE test result was received on a rapid screening test used as part of our enhanced BSE surveillance program," Andrea Morgan, a USDA inspection services spokeswoman, said in a statement.
"The inconclusive result does not mean we have found another case of BSE in this country," she said.
Final results were expected in four to seven days. The authorities did not say where the suspect animal was.
"Inconclusive results are a normal component of screening tests, which are designed to be extremely sensitive so they will detect any sample that could possibly be positive," she added.
"USDA remains confident in the safety of the US beef supply. Our ban on specified risk materials from the human food chain provides the protection to public health, should another case of BSE ever be detected in the United States," the spokeswoman said.
The only confirmed US mad cow case was found in the northwestern United States on December 23. The cow was from Canada, but some 30 countries banned imports of US beef as a precaution.
Beef futures in Chicago were "active" early Thursday, according to Alan Bush, an analyst at AG Edwards. Bush said traders were nervous, but they believed the test would be negative.
After news of the test, Hamburger chains and meat processing stocks fell on Wall Street. McDonald's shares lost 1.8 percent to 29.91, after trading higher before the report. Wendy's was down 1.3 percent at 35.60 and Outback Steakhouse was down 1.6 percent at 40.97. Tyson Foods, which has a meat packing business, was down 2.1 percent at USD16.57.
11/18/2004 21:41 GMT - AFP