Day 079 - 27 Jan 95 - Page 24


     
     1
     2   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  October 1991 revision date.
     3        A.  Yes,.
     4
     5   MR. MORRIS:  This is the one that is law, if you like, for your
     6        suppliers since that time, is it?
     7        A.  Yes.
     8
     9   Q.   With the addition of the E.coli addendum?
    10        A.  Yes.
    11
    12   Q.   When was the E.coli addendum issued?
    13        A.  I think it was 1992 -- at the time of the subject we
    14        have been talking about.
    15
    16   Q.   So, in the Microbiological Guidelines on the fourth page of
    17        that, it does not actually specify -- it is 6.1 -- are the
    18        suppliers expected -- it does not specify what particular
    19        organisms are meant to be looking for?
    20        A.  No, that is total counts.
    21
    22   Q.   So how does that relate to, say, for example, E.coli or
    23        salmonella?  What is the guideline for -----
    24        A.  If you are judging food on its cleanliness, there are
    25        set parameters on the total number of colony counts.  If
    26        you want to investigate a particular bacterium, then you
    27        have to look for it on different agars or in different
    28        sugars.  There is a technique of isolation.
    29
    30   Q.   So there is no routine testing for specific bacteria?
    31        A.  No.
    32
    33   Q.   Just a general?
    34        A.  Not, in total counts, no.
    35
    36   Q.   So what they are looking for there is the concentration ---
    37        A.  Yes.
    38
    39   Q.   -- of bacteria?
    40        A.  What that gives you is a picture of the cleanliness of
    41        the meat.
    42
    43   Q.   So as long as the count, the concentration, is below your
    44        set figure, the meat is assumed to be acceptable at that
    45        stage?
    46        A.  Yes.
    47
    48   Q.   But different bacteria maybe harmful at different
    49        concentrations?
    50        A.  Yes, at different concentrations. 
    51 
    52   Q.   For example, E.coli 0157 would be more dangerous than 
    53        another strain of E.coli ---
    54        A.  Yes.
    55
    56   Q.   -- at the same concentration?
    57        A.  Yes.
    58
    59   Q.   So what penalties are there for suppliers who infringe your
    60        specifications?

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