031260 Fast-Food Restaurants: No Meat With Mad Cow

Fast-food giants Burger King Corp., Arby's and Checkers Drive-In Restaurants Inc. have gone on record as emphasizing that their products are safe, and that their supply of beef is unaffected by a Washington incident of Mad Cow disease.

The condition, also known as BSE, or Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, is a chronic, degenerative disorder affecting the central nervous system of cattle. A similar disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, a rare and fatal human degenerative condition, occurs in people who consumed beef that may have been contaminated.

The infected animal, a Holstein, arrived at a Washington slaughter plant too sick to stand up.

Miami-based Burger King, which has more than 50 locations in the Orlando area, says packers involved in the BSE discovery do not supply meat to the Burger King system.

"Burger King Corp. has rigorous product safety procedures in place for its suppliers to ensure that its meat products cannot be contaminated at any stage in the production process," the company says, adding it uses only whole muscle meat from the forequarters and flanks of cattle -- areas scientists have never linked to BSE.

Tampa-based Checkers Drive-In Restaurants Inc. (NASDAQ: CHKR), with 27 Orlando area locations, also announced that its supply chain is not linked to a case of mad cow disease found at a farm in Washington state.

The meat packer in question has no connection whatsoever to the Checkers or Rally's supply chain, says Kim Francis, spokesperson for Checkers, in a media release.

And Fort Lauderdale-based Arby's, with 19 restaurants in the metropolitan area, does not allow purchasers for its beef supply to buy cattle too ill to stand, says Doug Benham, Arby's incoming president and chief executive officer.

"We obtain certification from each and every vendor and supplier as to their compliance with this requirement," Benham adds. "We believe our guests should continue to eat Arby's products with confidence."

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