MAD COW A PROBLEM - TUNA STEAK A SMART SOLUTION

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MAD COW A PROBLEM - TUNA STEAK A SMART SOLUTION By Henk Brus (Nov. 27, 00)

During these days that the scare of the mad cow disease wavers throughout Europe, and Germany, France, UK and Spain experience the consequences of the disease, scientist are warning that European mainland may be facing a British style epidemic of the Creutzfeld-Jakob disease. The disease has killed so far more then 80 people in Britain and two in France. This seems only the top of the ice-berg. Recent British scientific publications revealed that possible within the next ten years tens of thousands of people could die in the U.K alone of the C-J disease, one research even projected numbers close to total of 100.000 deaths in the U.K over the same period. C-J disease is deadly, it wastes away your brain, no cure is available.
Due to the Mad Cow disease French meat sales have plunged by 40% in recent weeks. The prime minister Jospin announced on French T.V. that from now on the T- bone steak would be banned in France.
Many European consumers and families are being faced with questions like : Do we continue to eat beef ? Do we eat less beef and meat, or ban meat within the family diet alltogether ?
In the Northern European markets consumers are real beef eaters, compared to Italy and Spain they eat less fish. This might be starting to change ! Consumer are starting to look for alternatives for their daily serving of meat. Tuna could be one of these alternatives !
So far the industry has concentrated itself largely on canning product, but although other tried to make me belief otherwise, I do not believe that canned tuna can be a replacement for chicken or meat in most Western markets. But tuna steaks can !
Tuna steaks in structure and taste come close to meat, preparation is relatively easy, it can be sold fresh but also fresh frozen in portion packs. Almost always the tuna-meat is tender, and not as tough as a shoesole, as some steaks turn out to be in some restaurants ! But most importantly of all IT IS 100% NATURAL. Tuna have no such health risks as mad cow, no hormones, no anti-biotics,... at the contrary,... it is extremely healthy according the the American Heart Association and two servings a week are even recommended. Much due to it's Omega - 3 and DHA content ! Perhaps there is a chance we can eventually market it as Organic, if we practice sustainable resource management.

Instead of trying to do more of the same, catch more Skipjack tuna for the canned tuna industry at the lowest costs prices, the tuna industry should focus itself on filling the gap caused in Europe by the mad cow or BSE disease. It will not be an easy route, but certainly with a lot more perspective for tuna. In order to win the consumer preference for them the tuna industry should however show a more responsible and "smart" behavior towards their precious resources then the "mad" farmers have had over the last 10 years.

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