Day 081 - 31 Jan 95 - Page 23
1 results recorded by staff. Is that what you were told when
2 you say "reported"?
3 A. Yes.
4
5 Q. The final paragraph on this page, you say: "In order to
6 maintain a high quality hygienic product, water sprays were
7 restricted to those necessary at the source station where
8 carcasses were split". Is there a benefit of not using the
9 water spray in terms of hygiene?
10 A. Yes, if they can be avoided, they should be avoided.
11
12 Q. Right. Why is that?
13 A. Because there is always the danger that they can
14 actually cross-contaminate; the sprays themselves may
15 contaminate something else or wash contamination on to
16 something.
17
18 Q. Is it also possible that the spray could cause bacteria to
19 become more deeply embedded in the meat?
20 A. Well, I do not really think that is a significant
21 factor. That is not the reason why sprays are discouraged.
22
23 Q. Is that possible or is that just a minor factor compared
24 to -----
25 A. I do not know any work that has actually shown that.
26 I have done no work in that area.
27
28 Q. So the main risk is cross-contamination through the water?
29 A. Yes.
30
31 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I was going to ask you, have you ever read or
32 heard of deeper embedding as a result of spraying being a
33 concern?
34 A. No, I have not, sir.
35
36 Q. It is that water which might become contaminated from
37 hitting something contaminated might then splash on to
38 something else, is it?
39 A. Yes, sir, yes.
40
41 MS. STEEL: In the fourth paragraph, when I asked you about the
42 daily hygiene checks being reported, and you said that that
43 was what you were told, does that also apply to the
44 microbiological monitoring in the last sentence of that
45 paragraph that you have referred to as being "reported"?
46 A. Yes, I was not there sufficiently long to make checks
47 on everything they did and they reported to me that they
48 did these.
49
50 Q. On a daily basis?
51 A. On a daily basis.
52
53 Q. How long were you there for?
54 A. I would estimate about two and a half, three hours.
55
56 MR. JUSTICE BELL: That is at Midland Meat Packers?
57 A. Yes.
58
59 MS. STEEL: How long were you at McKey's for?
60 A. I think McKey's, it might have been somewhat shorter,
