Day 094 - 01 Mar 95 - Page 11


     
     1        We are looking at that possibility.
     2
     3   Q.   Who is it supplying meat to, chicken meat to?
     4        A.  The Mexican Tyson operation?
     5
     6   Q.   Yes.
     7        A.  To the open market and to our competitors.
     8
     9   Q.   Can you tell us where your supplies come from in the USA?
    10        A.  Suppliers?
    11
    12   Q.   Your chicken supplies?
    13        A.  I have talked quite extensively in the past.  We
    14        produced -- the chicken come from our own operations,
    15        contracts from both Tyson and Equity.
    16
    17   Q.   Where are the Tyson and Equity plant that supply McDonald's
    18        chicken products for the USA?
    19        A.  There is a plant in Nashville, Arkansas, Tyson; the
    20        Equity plant is located in Gasden, Alabama and the other
    21        one is in Nashville, Tennessee.
    22
    23   Q.   Is that the Equity one, the third you were talking about?
    24        A.  That is correct.
    25
    26   Q.   So the second two were both Equity?
    27        A.  That is correct.
    28
    29   Q.   Are all those three up to 22 per cent of Salmonella or are
    30        some more than that?
    31        A.  They are about the -- but they are about the same.  You
    32        have to understand when we talk above three, there is a
    33        wide range.  For one to say one is better than the other,
    34        that is difficult to say.
    35
    36   Q.   So that would be fairly standard, would it?
    37        A.  For us, yes.  To give you an example, for instance,
    38        there is, it is very difficult to take a representative
    39        sample.  If you sample this a square foot, if you want to
    40        take a representative sample, it is not like, let us say,
    41        ground beef.  Ground beef, the distribution is
    42        homogeneous.  So, if you want to determine the fat it is
    43        very accurate; with bacteria it is not.  You might find it
    44        in one million in one corner, you might find nothing else
    45        in the entire area.  That is why it is so difficult to
    46        control because if you really want to have a representative
    47        sample you have to sample 90 per cent of the product which
    48        is absolutely impractical.  Nobody in this world can -----
    49
    50   Q.   What percentage is tested? 
    51        A.  One, two per cent. 
    52 
    53   Q.   There is no government or regulatory testing for bacteria
    54        that is regularly done at any US poultry plant, is there?
    55        A.  We are speaking Salmonella?
    56
    57   Q.   For bacteria in general?
    58        A.  There is no limitations -- no.  That is for that
    59        reason, the bacteria you can find it in the air, you can
    60        find it in the water, everywhere.  There is not technology

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