Area schools, hospitals and nursing homes trust their beef suppliers and aren't taking any additional precautions after the United States reported its first case of mad cow disease.

Only one hospital reported a patient having concerns about eating beef since the case was reported almost two weeks ago. The rest haven't heard anything, officials said. All three give alternate menu options on a daily basis, so if beef is served, residents and students have another option, officials said.

Local schools get their beef from government suppliers, which they said makes them feel safe about serving it to kids. But they are waiting to hear from the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction for further advice on how to handle the situation.

"We are always concerned for the safety of our customers, which are students," said Dixie Schulz, food service director for Mandan Public Schools. "What measures we need to take at this point - we are just waiting for some word on that."

Linda Glaser, manager of school nutrition programs for DPI, said the state isn't pushing schools to take any additional precautions mostly because of safeguards against mad cow disease that were put in three years ago. The USDA stopped distributing meat that came from cows that couldn't stand on their own, she said. Also, when beef is processed, the brain, lower intestine and spinal cord are removed. Mad cow disease is found in those areas.

"Our advice to the schools is not to worry, that the school supply is safe as long as it is purchased from a reputable vendor," Glaser said. "We review their purchases to make sure they are purchasing from vendors that are qualified and we do require that schools purchase meat that is inspected from processing plants and places that are inspected and meet USDA requirements."

Most area hospitals and nursing homes checked with their beef suppliers for additional information about the meat they purchase, officials said. Suppliers have given additional information to them about mad cow disease and the beef, while assuring them their supply is safe.

Jayne Hovland, director of nutritional services at Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center, said she hasn't heard any concerns from residents about eating beef. Residents at the nursing home have two choices for their meals, so when beef is served, there is another option that doesn't contain beef.

"I feel our meat supply is pretty safe," Hovland said. "It's (the case of mad cow) pretty isolated anyway."

Although one patient at Medcenter One Health Systems voiced concerns over eating beef, it hasn't been a problem for them or St. Alexius Medical Center because they offer patients a choice of food as well. And like other facilities, there isn't a big concern.

"From what I have heard, there shouldn't be any concerns about mad cow," said Marj Siems, director of food and nutritional services at St. Alexius.

(Reach reporter Sheena Dooley at 250-8225 or sheenadooley@ndonline.com.)