Beef Declared Safe, But Not In Cafeteria

The Department of Health says British beef is safe, but its staff will be eating Argentine meat during lunch breaks.

The department said Friday it wasn’t responsible for the decision, which was made by Compass Group UK, the private contractor that runs the department’s cafeteria, out of fear over mad cow disease.

“The Department of Health is entirely happy that British beef products are safe to eat,” said a spokesman, speaking on customary condition of anonymity.

Many people have been avoiding British beef since March 20, when the government announced a possible link between the deadly mad cow disease and its human equivalent, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.