Tuesday, April 12, 2005 Updated at 2:32 PM EST
Canadian Press
Ottawa — A scientist and former inspector for the U.S Department of Agriculture says he is willing to take a lie detector test to back his charge that the United States is covering up mad-cow disease.
Lester Friedlander, now a consumer advocate, was fired from his job as head of inspections at a large meat-packing plant in Philadelphia in 1995 after criticizing what he called unsafe practices.
Mr. Friedlander said U.S. Department of Agriculture veterinarians sent suspect cow brains to private laboratories, which confirmed they were infected with mad cow disease. Samples from the same animals, however, were cleared by government labs.
He would not reveal the names of the veterinarians, saying in an interview that they still work for the agriculture department and would be fired if identified.
The department has denied Mr. Friedlander's allegations, first made in a speech last week in Edmonton.
He is in Ottawa to testify at a Commons committee examining proposed changes to the Canadian food regulation system.
Canadian Press
Ottawa — A scientist and former inspector for the U.S Department of Agriculture says he is willing to take a lie detector test to back his charge that the United States is covering up mad-cow disease.
Lester Friedlander, now a consumer advocate, was fired from his job as head of inspections at a large meat-packing plant in Philadelphia in 1995 after criticizing what he called unsafe practices.
Mr. Friedlander said U.S. Department of Agriculture veterinarians sent suspect cow brains to private laboratories, which confirmed they were infected with mad cow disease. Samples from the same animals, however, were cleared by government labs.
He would not reveal the names of the veterinarians, saying in an interview that they still work for the agriculture department and would be fired if identified.
The department has denied Mr. Friedlander's allegations, first made in a speech last week in Edmonton.
He is in Ottawa to testify at a Commons committee examining proposed changes to the Canadian food regulation system.