Day 079 - 27 Jan 95 - Page 53
1 the animal then. The hide is off the animal when the meat
2 comes to McKey. The dust is on the hide.
3
4 Q. But it prevents aerial contamination?
5 A. Yes.
6
7 Q. In the abattoir?
8 A. Yes.
9
10 Q. In paragraph 27 you talk about part of the response to the
11 E.coli food poisoning outbreak in Preston, which McDonald's
12 have admitted responsibility for the purposes of this
13 case.
14 A. It does not mention Preston in that paragraph.
15
16 Q. No, but you said there were a number of things done in
17 response, yes?
18 A. Yes.
19
20 Q. For example, one thing that is not in your statement but
21 you presumably know about, the cooking times were increased
22 in the stores of hamburgers, yes?
23 A. Yes, I know about that.
24
25 Q. Another thing was that you changed your methodology for
26 sampling for E.coli, you said that today, yes?
27 A. Yes.
28
29 Q. Also you contacted what you call the world's leading
30 authority on E.coli and in paragraph 27, well, two things:
31 first of all, you did a report analysis at the actual plant
32 of McKey's?
33 A. Yes.
34
35 Q. Then later on in 19 -- whenever, they did a report on the
36 various methods of testing for E.coli to identify the most
37 sensitive and efficient method; their report is due,
38 imminently. Have you received that report?
39 A. Yes.
40
41 Q. Have you taken any action having received that report in
42 terms of changing your methods?
43 A. No. Interestingly enough that report, we were trying
44 to find a faster method but the method was not any faster
45 than the existing method which we had moved to.
46
47 Q. How fast is the method that is used?
48 A. 24 hours.
49
50 MS. STEEL: Is the situation the same with the cores that are
51 taken out for E.coli in that case, that by the time you get
52 the results of the E.coli testing back the burgers will
53 already have been made?
54 A. No. I said yesterday on E.coli all burgers are on
55 positive release.
56
57 Q. So that is a different situation to the normal bacteria?
58 A. Yes.
59
60 MR. MORRIS: That is if you suspect a batch?
