Day 085 - 08 Feb 95 - Page 47


     
     1
     2   MS. STEEL:  That has all been in relation to beef?
     3        A.  No, chicken as well or product integrity, as we call
     4        it.
     5
     6   Q.   That has been in relation to cooking times and calibration
     7        checks?
     8        A.  No, not always.  Some of the things, well, some things
     9        are that we had independent checks done on our grill on an
    10        annual basis by the company that supplied it.  We had a
    11        programme of visiting restaurants unannounced just to check
    12        that things were OK.  We reinvestigated the calibration
    13        equipment that we have to make sure that there was not a
    14        better one.  We had product integrity seminars where we sat
    15        all the senior managers down and told them about the
    16        implications of this, about the importance of following the
    17        correct procedures.  We investigated times and temperatures
    18        to ascertain that the grill was correct.  I believe we
    19        accelerated the clamshell grill programmes at all stores,
    20        clamshell grills -- there is a whole host of the things
    21        that have happened since 1991.
    22
    23   Q.   The independent checks that were done by the suppliers of
    24        the grills, that presumably was to check that the equipment
    25        was working efficiently?
    26        A.  They checked the grill and the last check that they do
    27        is to make sure that a full run of meat cooks to 70 degrees
    28        Centigrade.  So they verify the whole operation of the
    29        grill, conduct a series of checks and, before they leave
    30        the restaurant in the presence of the restaurant manager,
    31        they cook, run a product and ensure that the four corner
    32        patties (which are normally the ones if there is any
    33        variation between the temperature, they will be the lowest
    34        ones) that they are at 70 degrees Centigrade.  So, it is
    35        just a further, you know, belt and braces approach to
    36        product safety, product integrity.
    37
    38   Q.   The programme of visiting restaurants unannounced just to
    39        check that things were OK, what was checked during those
    40        visits?
    41        A.  We checked the temperature, internal temperature, of
    42        the meat.  We checked the temperature of the freezers,
    43        checked the temperature of the grill surface, we checked
    44        the crew were washing their hands, the storage conditions
    45        of the meat and chicken, and just identified through HACCP
    46        analysis the critical control points throughout which the
    47        meat arrives in the restaurants to when it reaches the
    48        customers, what the most critical areas were and we
    49        prioritised those, and went in and checked that they were
    50        up to standard. 
    51 
    52   Q.   The freezer temperature has implications for the length of 
    53        time it will take to cook the product?
    54        A.  Not really.  We just wanted to make sure that the
    55        freezers were at the right temperature, that they gave a
    56        reading between minus 18 and minus 23.
    57
    58   Q.   The product integrity seminar where all senior managers
    59        were sat down and told about the implications of this, what
    60        was said at those meetings?  What were the main points that

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