Day 077 - 25 Jan 95 - Page 43


     
     1        meat was destroyed and one of our suppliers has found it
     2        once.
     3
     4   Q.   So far as your own laboratory is concerned, what is the
     5        frequency with which samples are taken for testing in a
     6        day's work?
     7        A.  Every batch.
     8
     9   Q.   Every batch?
    10        A.  All meat going out to McDonald's is on positive
    11        release.
    12
    13   Q.   Can you turn forwards in that file or backwards -- I never
    14        know which it is -- to page 47, anyway nearer the front?
    15        This is part of the main specification dated October 1991.
    16        At paragraph 6 you set out some Microbiological Guidelines;
    17        do you see that?
    18        A.  Yes.
    19
    20   Q.   You say:  "Two samples will be collected from each delivery
    21        upon arrival and Total Viable Counts carried out"?
    22        A.  Yes.
    23
    24   Q.   "McKey standards are" and then the figures are given.
    25        I never know which way round it is.  "Satisfactory" is not
    26        more than -- right?
    27        A.  Yes.
    28
    29   Q.   -- five x 10 to the 5 per gramme; is that right?
    30        A.  500,000.
    31
    32   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  It does not matter but it is less than, in
    33        fact, is it, "satisfactory"?
    34
    35   MR. RAMPTON:  Strictly, it is less than but I took it to mean
    36        not more than; it is, your Lordship is quite right.
    37
    38   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I am sure it does not matter.
    39
    40   MR. RAMPTON:  When it says "Total Viable Count" is that one
    41        micro organism or is it the total bacterial colonisation of
    42        the piece of meat?
    43        A.  That is the total colonies identified and plated on
    44        agar in one gramme of meat.
    45
    46   Q.   So if there are less than, or it might be no more than,
    47        five colonies of not more than 500,000, that would pass the
    48        test of "satisfactory"?
    49        A.  Yes.
    50 
    51   Q.   Presumably, it is a test of safety, on what standard is it 
    52        based?  Where does the standard come from? 
    53        A.  That standard comes directly from McDonald's,
    54        Oak Brook, USA.
    55
    56   Q.   So far as you are aware, is that a standard which is
    57        consistent with the safety of food for human consumption?
    58        A.  Yes.
    59
    60   Q.   Does the safety of human beings then depend not simply on

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