Day 077 - 25 Jan 95 - Page 57


     
     1        analysis and taken all this care since the Preston outbreak
     2        in January?
     3        A.  No, that is not true.  We have had these high standards
     4        in bacteria and total counts, to my knowledge, since 1988.
     5
     6   Q.   How long have you had -----
     7        A.  1978, I beg your pardon.
     8
     9   Q.   I was going to ask you, how long have you had a laboratory
    10        on your premises capable of carrying out microbiological
    11        analysis?
    12        A.  Since 1980 -- 1981, sir, when the new plant was built.
    13
    14   Q.   Has that laboratory been in service as well as being
    15        available during the period since then?
    16        A.  Oh, yes.  We also have a duplicate laboratory at
    17        Scunthorpe.
    18
    19   Q.   I should have asked about Scunthorpe.  When was Scunthorpe
    20        built?
    21        A.  1990.
    22
    23   Q.   You have the pink file VIII in front of you, can you turn
    24        to tab 5 please?  You should find there a number of sheets,
    25        the first two I think are probably not filled in?
    26        A.  Correct.
    27
    28   Q.   The succeeding ones are, I think?
    29        A.  Yes.
    30
    31   Q.   Tell us, please, what are these sheets?  What do they
    32        represent?  They are headed "McDonald's Quality Control
    33        Summary", but they look as though they are McKey documents?
    34        A.  They are McKey documents.
    35
    36   Q.   What are they?
    37        A.  Well, on every batch of burgers or burger meat that
    38        goes through the plant, there is a series of standard tests
    39        carried out to ensure that each batch and each finished
    40        burgers are up to specification, specification in terms of
    41        fat content, the microbiological analysis, the number of
    42        burgers in each box, because as well as obtaining weight on
    43        dispatch we have to get the burger numbers right, so that
    44        each store gets the right number of sandwiches from each 30
    45        pound box.
    46
    47   Q.   Then you appear to evaluate the cooking quality as well?
    48        A.  We cook from every batch in the laboratory on an
    49        absolute mirror of a McDonald's system.  It is a McDonald's
    50        grill.  We cook from every batch to check the flavour, 
    51        texture and cooking appearance. 
    52 
    53   Q.   Do you cook them then for the prescribed amount of time?
    54        A.  Oh, yes.
    55
    56   Q.   Such as you find in the McDonald's operation?
    57        A.  Yes, absolutely.
    58
    59   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  From time to time you have referred to
    60        testing batches, the veterinary surgeon test for fit for

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