Day 112 - 31 Mar 95 - Page 30
1
2 MR. RAMPTON: Can you -- perhaps you cannot, I do not know --
3 explain to me why it is if the carcass is so thoroughly
4 washed at that point as to be apt to disguise signs of
5 contamination or unfitness or whatever, why on earth it is
6 necessary to have a separate point after inspection to wash
7 it again?
8 A. It is not necessary at all. It is being disputed and,
9 I can assure you, that most people, most official
10 veterinary surgeons, and also there is undisputable
11 research evidence on the fact that washing the carcass is
12 totally unnecessary and can at certain situations, where
13 there is contamination left on the carcass after the
14 inspection, can be detrimental to the quality of the
15 carcass.
16
17 There are several abattoirs in the world (and I have seen
18 them) where they do not wash the outside of the carcass,
19 and they usually end up with a better quality carcass and
20 less loss in evaporation of the water in the chillers.
21 I am sure it is something that will in the future, that
22 that carcass wash will disappear as well.
23
24 Q. Just two other things, Ms. Hovi, at the moment. First of
25 all, you say in your statement, though you are not
26 asserting this as a breach of the regulations, paragraph 8
27 on the third page, top of the third page:
28
29 "I would like to further express my surprise at the total
30 lack of communication on behalf McKey Food Services Limited
31 with the Official Veterinary Surgeon at the plant. As
32 I had full access to all previous correspondence to the
33 Official Veterinary Surgeon's Office and could find no
34 copies of the McKey Food Services' Raw Material
35 Specifications or other form of correspondence."
36
37 May I ask you why that causes you surprise, Ms. Hovi?
38 A. Well, I am sure that it arises from the way I see the
39 role of the OVS at a plant as an advisory and consultant
40 role, where you try to help the plant management to adhere
41 to the rules that are necessary to protect the public
42 health and, at the same time, to serve their customers
43 right.
44
45 I have visited, and I have a lot of colleagues who work as
46 OVSs in export abattoirs in this country, and I have
47 visited a lot of abattoirs, I have worked at abattoirs
48 before, and I have always been made party of any customer
49 requirements that there are in other plants where I have
50 worked. That is the cause for my surprise.
51
52 Q. But you would not criticise Jarretts for saying to
53 themselves: "Well, thank you very much; we do not need
54 your help in complying with McKey's specifications", would
55 you?
56 A. No.
57
58 Q. No. So what is it doing in this statement? Why is it
59 here? What is the point of it?
60 A. Well, I was not given any advice to remove it. I am
