Day 101 - 10 Mar 95 - Page 68


     
     1   Q.   Then there were names, French perhaps, other parts of
     2        Europe, the Orleon chicken; which of those suppliers
     3        actually supply chickens which eventually come to
     4        McDonald's at this present time in this country?
     5        A.  It is only meat that originates from Grandstand Road
     6        from Hereford, from Sun Valley.
     7
     8   Q.   It is taken out from Sun Valley to France, processed and
     9        taken back again?
    10        A.  Exactly.
    11
    12   Q.   Only two other matters, Mr. Kenny.  You were asked about
    13        Mr. Morris, though he did not pursue it, as far as I could
    14        tell, about clostridium botulinum; do you remember that?
    15        A.  Yes.
    16
    17   Q.   I think it was yesterday.  Do you know how the toxicity of
    18        clostridium botulinum, so far as humans are concerned, how
    19        it arises?
    20        A.  Yes, it is through the production of toxin.
    21
    22   Q.   Do you know what the conditions are in which that toxin may
    23        be produced?
    24        A.  Yes, it is a toxin that is basically -- it is
    25        temperature sensitive, a toxin that would be destroyed by
    26        temperature, so the cooking of a product destroys that
    27        toxin.  The bacteria is an aerobic bacteria, so it needs to
    28        be kept in oxygen free conditions.  Really, it is only an
    29        issue in two areas of food production, and that is in the
    30        canning industry where the heat treatment, although it
    31        kills the toxin that is produced, the bacteria forms spores
    32        which are particularly heat sensitive; the rest of the
    33        bacteria are killed.  It also has to be a low acid
    34        environment.  Then, once the cans have cooled down again,
    35        the bacteria spores can germinate and you can get toxin
    36        production.  It is really prevalent, I guess, in things
    37        like canned vegetables where there, perhaps, is not much
    38        further heat treatment.
    39
    40   Q.   What I was concerned to ask you was this:  To what extent
    41        (if any) is clostridium botulinum a consideration for
    42        McDonald's?
    43        A.  It is of no consideration really.  It is not associated
    44        at all with the food side of McDonald's.
    45
    46   Q.   Are any of your products produced at what we call a
    47        favourable temperature for the bacterium in anaerobic
    48        conditions?
    49        A.  No, they are not.
    50 
    51   Q.   Finally this:  Could you please  -- you may have it there 
    52         -- find yellow file 7? 
    53        A.  Yes.
    54
    55   Q.   This is your statement.  Turn to appendix one, please,
    56        which is McKey's quality control checks.
    57        A.  Yes.
    58
    59   Q.   41, as they are at the date of this document.  I want to
    60        clarify something that Mr. Morris was putting to you

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