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Buffalo Grill boss quizzed on CJD
PARIS, France -- French authorities are questioning the CEO of the Buffalo Grill chain and three other executives as part of an inquiry into the spread of the human form of mad cow disease. The four are suspected of violating a ban on imports of British beef imposed to prevent the spread of mad cow disease, judicial officials say. Britain, whose beef was banned by the European Union in 1996 over fears it could spread CJDv, the human form of the disease, has only recently resumed beef exports to Europe after last year's foot-and-mouth epidemic again halted exports. Buffalo Grill, whose shares have been suspended, denies importing beef potentially contaminated with mad cow. But the company has confirmed that Chief Executive Christian Picart and three managers from its Districoupe supplier unit have been questioned. Districoupe's 80 employees cut and prepare more than 12 tons of meat a day. Two managers at Districoupe were placed under official investigation on Wednesday after initial questioning by a magistrate. Picart and the fourth manager are due to be questioned by the magistrate on Thursday. In France, being placed under investigation does not necessarily lead to formal charges being brought. Buffalo Grill, which has more than 200 branches in Europe -- including 150 in France -- cancelled a news conference planned for Wednesday. The investigation into Buffalo Grill is part of a wider inquiry into four deaths in France from Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease (CJD). French media said two of the victims used to eat at Buffalo Grill restaurants. But a lawyer for families of victims said no link could be established, because the disease's five-year incubation period meant the victims were probably contaminated before the 1996 ban. Mad cow disease first appeared in Britain in the 1980s. Since then, more than 100 people have died from the human form of the disease, mostly in Britain. On Thursday, France ruled that restaurants serving beef must include the origin of meat on their menus.
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