Day 061 - 05 Dec 94 - Page 67


     
     1
     2   Q.   Well, you are the person in charge of McDonald's
     3        specifications on its purchasing, so if we have not got a
     4        document we have to ask you because Mr. Walker, presumably
     5        if he has not disclosed a document on it, will say that is
     6        what the specification is?
     7        A.  Well, with the court's permission I would check and
     8        make that available; not the document, it is a sensitive
     9        document, but I would certainly answer your question.
    10
    11   Q.   Sorry, what is the document that would be sensitive?
    12        A.  McDonald's specification.
    13
    14   Q.   On age?
    15        A.  No, on anything.
    16
    17   Q.   I do not know if you know, but we have a great long list of
    18        McDonald's specifications, International Product
    19        Specifications, and one of them is "Aged beef is not
    20        allowed"?
    21        A.  Right.
    22
    23   Q.   Sorry, that is beef exceeding seven days in age from
    24        slaughter to bone. That is different; not the actual age of
    25        the animal.  I do not believe ----
    26        A.  There is any nine year-old statement in there -- I do
    27        not either.
    28
    29   Q.   Well, to be honest, I have heard that, but I cannot
    30        remember the document I have seen it in.
    31
    32   MR. RAMPTON:  What is the problem, my Lord? Mr. Walker's
    33        statement which contains the age "eight to nine years is a
    34        maximum" is appended to his statement at Appendix 2, is the
    35        Raw Specification for Beef Patty Production, and on the
    36        second page of the text we simply find this, and it is
    37        plainly a term of art, "Wet strew cows will not be
    38        acceptable".
    39
    40   MR. MORRIS:  So wet strew cows are something which is above
    41        eight year-olds, something like that?
    42        A.  Yes. I think your question was, does it appear in
    43        McDonald's specification that we do not allow eight to nine
    44        year-old cows, and I have answered I do not think so.
    45        Mr. Walker would certainly have it in his specification to
    46        the abattoir because he does not prefer to work with old
    47        cows basically.  He does not think it makes a good product.
    48
    49   Q.   Do you happen to know why it does not make a good product?
    50        A.  I would say it would be tough, extremely fat; tough 
    51        mostly. 
    52 
    53   Q.   Mr. Walker also says in his statement on No. 45 that each
    54        abattoir has its own veterinary surgeon and environmental
    55        health officer.  Do you happen to know if that is EC law?
    56        A.  I think it is, yes.
    57
    58   Q.   So it is not an additional specification as far as you
    59        know?
    60        A.  No.

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