Day 105 - 16 Mar 95 - Page 38
1 contamination of some kind?
2 A. That is true.
3
4 Q. So when the carcasses touch there will be some
5 cross-contamination of some kind?
6 A. I have to return to my initial definition of
7 "contamination". If by "contamination" we mean the
8 transfer of bacteria from one to the other, yes, there is
9 contamination. If we talk about risks to health, the
10 transfer of pathogens, it is so small in terms of risk as
11 not to be a significant consideration if the carcasses
12 touch.
13
14 Q. We will carry on going through the documents, please. On
15 page 12 we have boning room. The temperature spec. on the
16 third column, is that carcass temperature?
17 A. This is the specification for the product at this
18 stage. That is in the boning room.
19
20 Q. "Temperature spec." will be the temperature of that actual
21 particular carcass, is it?
22 A. Yes, the temperature required at which it ought to be
23 boned out.
24
25 Q. When you say "temperature required", is that a standard
26 that has been set, or is that a particular temperature of
27 that particular carcass?
28 A. It will depend. Different customers have different
29 specifications within a range of, perhaps, two degrees to
30 seven degrees or, of course, could I add the statutory
31 requirement which would be applied, in the absence of a
32 customer specification, which is seven.
33
34 Q. On page 12 it has a list of temperatures?
35 A. Yes.
36
37 Q. Next to "products" is "steer SID1""; is that right?
38 A. Yes.
39
40 Q. So are they not filling this in properly then, this
41 temperature specification as -----
42
43 MR. JUSTICE BELL: The specification has not actually been
44 written in or, if it has, I cannot see it on my copy.
45 I agree it might be, but you are not supposed to be putting
46 a specification in the boxes down below but what the
47 temperature of the meat is presumably?
48 A. Yes, the specification ought to have been written into
49 the box.
50
51 MR. MORRIS: I see. Sorry, I got confused.
52
53 MR. JUSTICE BELL: You write "4" or whatever it was?
54 A. Yes.
55
56 Q. "7", or whatever it was.
57 A. This, clearly, does not refer to a particular customer
58 because the customer is not written in, so it will be taken
59 as the statutory temperature.
60
