Letter: Dangers of beef

Sir: Although EU scientists have now pronounced British beef "safe" ("Victory for UK: beef gets clean bill of health", 30 October), the meat will nevertheless still not carry a label which guarantees that it is free from BSE.

We have been told that no food can be guaranteed 100 per cent - it is a question of risk assessment. The problem with beef is that the risk we are being invited to weigh up is about the possibility of contracting a disease, CJD, which, with our current knowledge at least, is incurable and invariably fatal.

What is the morality of our being invited to consume a food (easily substitutable) which may cause such a disease?

BERNARD HRUSA-MARLOW

Morden, Surrey