Day 094 - 01 Mar 95 - Page 10


     
     1
     2   Q.   I am sorry, an infestation -- in a large percentage of
     3        chicken products?
     4        A.  That is correct.
     5
     6   MS. STEEL:  Is it not right that in the USA up to 80 per cent of
     7        the chicken coming from poultry plants is contaminated with
     8        Salmonella?
     9        A.  Not in our plants, that is wrong.  When you say "up
    10        to", if there is a farm that is absolutely bad conditions,
    11        yes, it is up to, yes, but definitely not in our plants.
    12
    13   Q.   So do you keep checks on the levels of Salmonella?
    14        A.  Absolutely.
    15
    16   Q.   What is the level of Salmonella in your plants?
    17        A.  Last one, the Tyson plant who was in Mexico, was
    18        running zero per cent.  Our plant in the US runs from,
    19        depending on the environment, from three to 22 per cent.
    20
    21   Q.   That is in the birds coming into the plants?
    22
    23   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  You had better find out what the percentages
    24        there are.  Do you remember, we had those references to Mr.
    25        North's statement and so on?
    26
    27   MS. STEEL:  That is the birds coming into the process plants?
    28        A.  No, no, those are the birds during processing.
    29
    30   Q.   That is after slaughter, they are tested after slaughter
    31        but before processing?
    32        A.  When they are ready to be merchandised, let us say.  If
    33        they are for retail -- or when we use the meat to produce
    34        the Nuggetts, that is what that figure is coming from.
    35
    36   Q.   How long has that been the case?
    37        A.  Oh, for that specific range?
    38
    39   Q.   Yes.
    40        A.  Since the plant was created.
    41
    42   Q.   So it has not made any improvement in that time?
    43        A.  Very slightly.
    44
    45   Q.   How many other plants are there?
    46        A.  Plants?
    47
    48   Q.   Yes, supplying McDonald's chicken products?
    49        A.  There are four.
    50 
    51   Q.   Four? 
    52        A.  Three -- sorry. 
    53
    54   Q.   So the plant that is in Mexico is supplying chicken
    55        products to the US McDonald's, is it?
    56        A.  No, no, no, that is incorrect.
    57
    58   Q.   That is supplying chicken products to the Mexico
    59        McDonald's?
    60        A.  No, that is incorrect.  They might, we might do that.

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