Press Release

American Culinary Federation Urges Chefs to Act Responsibly Following “Mad Cow” Incident

St. Augustine, Fla., December 24, 2003—Edward G. Leonard, president of the American Culinary Federation (ACF), Inc., today issued a statement to all professional chefs concerning the first incident in the United States of a cow suspected of being infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or “Mad Cow Disease.”

“The American Culinary Federation accepts the statement by Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman that the risk to the nation’s food supply and human health resulting from this single incident is extremely low,” said Leonard, a certified master chef and executive chef of Westchester Country Club in Rye, N.Y. “We are confident in the systems implemented by the U.S. beef industry and U.S. government to ensure the safety of America’s beef supply.”

Despite global reaction to indications of BSE in initial testing of beef samples from a Holstein cow from a Washington State farm on December 9, Leonard stressed the rigorous production and processing standards imposed on U.S. beef producers, and noted that the federal government has taken steps since 1990 to protect the domestic beef supply from this disease. He cited data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that in 2003 alone more than 20,500 head of cattle have been tested for BSE as part of efforts in early detection. The recent initial finding of BSE in Washington state and the resulting voluntary recall of beef products sourced to the farm, Leonard said, “is proof that our government is doing its job properly and efficiently, and that the food industry is responding with extreme dedication to eliminating a potential food-safety issue.”

Leonard further urged chefs to act responsibly in case of a consumer backlash to beef resulting from this incident.

“Beef is an important offering in the vast majority of U.S. foodservice operations, particularly today as more diners demand menu choices that are rich in protein,” he said. “As with all foods that they use, chefs must continue to prepare beef dishes with all the food-safety controls they currently employ in their kitchens.

“We must also recognize that BSE is virtually unknown in muscle cuts of beef, and that, when present, it resides in central-nervous-system tissues of the carcass, such as the brain and spinal cord,” Leonard continued. “In the case of the Washington state Holstein, none of those byproducts entered the market. For these reasons, American chefs must strive to educate their customers, and not overreact to what they might hear or read from ‘celebrity chefs’ or special-interest groups who would try to exaggerate the situation to meet their own ends.”

The American Culinary Federation, Inc., establishes and upholds the highest standards of cooking, thereby making a positive difference for culinarians internationally through education and creation of a fraternal bond of respect and integrity.

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Note to editors: A digital head shot of Leonard is available upon request.

Contact: Lisa Alessandro, APR
(904) 824-4468, ext. 103
lalessandro@acfchefs.net

• American Culinary Federation Urges Chefs to Act Responsibly Following “Mad Cow” Incident