That BSE would remain a sinister cloud over the trade this summer was never in doubt. In a silly season brightened only by a camera-shy Royal Family, eager tabloids were always likely to find scope for resurrecting the issue. But on Monday they were given a new angle on a plate when a coroner, recording a misadventure verdict on a 20-year-old student, ruled that the man died from the strain of CJD linked to mad cow disease after "eating a contaminated beef product". Although a neuro-pathologist agreed that eating BSE-infected meat was the most likely explanation, he also accepted there was no scientific proof this was the case. Meanwhile, the wholesale and retail trades are again anxiously measuring the effects of the new publicity on sales figures ­ and that is after several weeks when turnover in beef has shown signs of recovery. Inevitably, the verdict reinforces calls for a stronger scientific slant to be put on the utterances which follow each episode in the industry's interminable nightmare. As our exclusive interview showed last week, former EU farm commissioner Ray MacSharry is among a string of notables who want the best of Europe's scientific brains to present the official view ­ rather than the politicians who have done so much to fuel a public relations fiasco. Other figures in MacSharry's native Ireland ­ significantly the country which is currently sitting in the EU chair ­ were this week calling for the language of science to be used in the BSE forum in a bid to avoid unnecessary speculation and thus provide "the best information" for a confused public. One Dublin parliamentarian with veterinary training said: "It is time to increase investment so that, at a minimum, the scientific community which has research programmes up and running, will have the facilities and expertise to monitor developments and thus retain the confidence of the public when it makes pronouncements." Wise comments indeed. Is it too much to hope that Brussels and Whitehall will listen to the Irish? But, for that matter, will the tabloids listen to the scientists?