Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Brazilian cows worry Swiss sausage eaters

The Swiss take sausage seriously and a unique kind called Cervelat is the country’s most popular sausage. Yet Cervelat consumers in the alpine nation may face a shortage of their favorite meaty treat. Why?

A joint "task force cervelat" composed of scientists, bureaucrats and industry representatives has been convened to tackle the crisis caused by a shortfall in Brazilian cows' intestines used to encase the nation's favorite sausage, the Swiss meat association said…

But now the lightly smoked sausage has fallen victim to European Union restrictions on the import of cows intestines from Brazil because of fears over mad cow disease — bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE.

Swiss sausage makers are considering suppliers from other countries like Uruguay and Paraguay though they may not enough to cover the quantity that would come out of Brazil. With the possible windfall of selling sausages to droves of hungry tourists during the summer’s Euro 2008 soccer tournament, cervelat makers may have to rely on South America to save their industry.

Image- BBC News

Sources- Associated Press, BBC News, AHN, Wikipedia

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