Day 080 - 30 Jan 95 - Page 57


     
     1
     2   Q.   Have you ever had any part in that?
     3        A.  No, sir.
     4
     5   MS. STEEL:   Just one question:  Why did you visit Jarrets last
     6        week?
     7        A.  I was in the West Country.
     8
     9   Q.   So you just happened to be passing?
    10        A.  Yes.
    11
    12   Q.   You did not go down for any specific reason?
    13        A.  No.
    14
    15   MR. MORRIS:  A couple of the things, in your statement at
    16        paragraph 30 you said:  "The patties are then frozen for
    17        one and a half minute in temperatures as low as minus 200
    18        degrees Fahrenheit where they reach a temperature of minus
    19        20 degrees Centigrade and they retain that temperature
    20        until they are cooked on on McDonald's grills."
    21        A.  Yes.
    22
    23   Q.   When you said "they reach a temperature of minus 20 degrees
    24        Centigrade", can you just explain what you mean there?
    25        A.  Yes, when they go in -- when they come out of the
    26        forming machine, they are about plus one maximum, and then
    27        they go down a tunnel, a nitrogen tunnel, travelling on a
    28        moving belt.  The tunnel is 74 feet long.  The belt is
    29        moving one way and the gas is being flown the other way by
    30        a system of fans.  The temperature in that tunnel does
    31        reach as low as minus 200 degrees because it is liquid
    32        nitrogen, that is a cryogenic freezing.  So, when the patty
    33        comes out the other end of the tunnel, it is minus 20,
    34        minus 21 degrees.
    35
    36        We go to a great deal of trouble to keep it at that
    37        temperature while it is in the plant, while it goes through
    38        the distribution chain, while it is in McDonald's store
    39        freezers, and while it is in the grill side freezer.  The
    40        key to a successful freezer control of meat is to keep the
    41        temperature level.
    42
    43   Q.   So, is minus 20 an arbitrary figure or is that some
    44        important figure?
    45        A.  It is quite an important figure, minus 20.
    46
    47   Q.   Why is it minus 20, why not minus 15 or minus 25?  Is there
    48        any particular reason that is set as a standard?
    49        A.  It is all to do with the cell structure and the icicle
    50        formation and the ice formation in the cell structure, but 
    51        it has always been minus 20 in McDonald's. 
    52 
    53   Q.   In your paragraph 42 you said some things about the
    54        relationship between the meat industry and dairy industry.
    55        You said:  "If there was no meat industry, there would be
    56        no animals other than for dairy purposes and then when
    57        these become too old for economic milk supply - what is to
    58        happen to them?"  Is the meat industry and dairy industry
    59        interlinked in that way?
    60        A.  Yes.

Prev Next Index