Day 094 - 01 Mar 95 - Page 29


     
     1        A.  Because, first of all, you have to recognise that it
     2        was unknown.  It was unknown.  It is difficult to prevent
     3        something that you do not what you are supposed to
     4        prevent.  We just happen to be the ones; it is as simple as
     5        that.
     6
     7   Q.   E.coli contamination or infection comes from bad handling
     8        practices, does it not?
     9        A.  Not necessarily, no.
    10
    11   Q.   It comes -- is not E.coli 0157 H -----
    12        A.  7?
    13
    14   Q.   Yes, in America you call it 0157 H7 but here we call it
    15        0157 H, but yes.
    16
    17   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I think it is probably the same, but probably
    18        if you looked it up in some kind of glossary of these
    19        things it would be right down to the 7 at the end, but you
    20        know the particular E.coli that Mr. Morris is asking you
    21        about?
    22        A.  Yes, I do.
    23
    24   MR. MORRIS:  It comes, does it not, from -- it is in the gut of
    25        the cattle that are killed and it can be cross-contaminated
    26        with the rest of the meat during the slaughter stage?
    27        A.  Yes, it could, but it is not the only source.  There
    28        has been a lot of research after that.  We have spent
    29        millions of dollars to find out where it is coming from and
    30        we just about find it in every place we look at.
    31
    32   Q.   When did you start taking the risk of E.coli food poisoning
    33        of customers as a serious possibility?  When did you start
    34        taking action on this?
    35        A.  Immediately or soon as we found out about it.
    36
    37   Q.   But when did you start actually doing specific testing?
    38        A.  Oh, immediately after that.  First, there was no
    39        testing available.  We funded a lot of research to find a
    40        means to identify the bacteria.  If in the past is not a
    41        new bacteria that just appeared, it is probably bacteria
    42        that mutated.  At that time there was no tests available to
    43        detect it.  It might have happen before and people just did
    44        not know it was there or that was the cause because there
    45        were no tests available for it.
    46
    47   Q.   So when did the tests become available?  When did you start
    48        doing these tests after they became available?  Do you
    49        remember what year?
    50        A.  No, I do not remember the year.  I know we have been 
    51        doing it, from what I have heard, since right after the 
    52        incident.  So, it might have been eight, 10 years that we 
    53        have been testing.
    54
    55   Q.   Are you aware that McDonald's was the cause of an E.coli
    56        0157 H outbreak of food poisoning in Preston in the UK in
    57        1991?
    58        A.  That is correct, I am aware.
    59
    60   Q.   If you were testing for that possibility in America soon

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