April 30, 2001 — ZAGREB, Croatia — Although it has so far been free of mad cow disease, Croatia has introduced tests which can detect the disease within hours.

The tests were introduced to comply with European Union demands and to help boost confidence among Croats and foreign tourists, according to the Associated Press. There has been a 60 percent decrease in beef sales in those countries in which the disease has already spread.

The tests were developed by three European companies and allow officials to detect the disease within hours. Previously, the disease took ten days to detect. The equipment Croatia uses to test the equipment was bought from Switzerland for approximately $440,000.

According to Croatia’s Agriculture Minister Bozidar Pankretic, licensed slaughterhouses must provide the brains of all slaughtered cattle over 30 months, however officials could decide to test younger cattle depending on possible EU requirements.