Day 016 - 22 Jul 94 - Page 48


     
     1        A.  She was, yes.
 
     2   Q.   The situation with salmonella, you say, is continuing to
              deteriorate despite the measures that are being
     3        introduced?
              A.  Well, the current officially recorded figures that are
     4        regularly reported demonstrate that there is an increase
              in those figures.  Now there is some argument as to
     5        whether that is due to an increase in the reporting rate,
              or whether it is an increase, or whether it is a real
     6        increase in the number of cases that are occurring.  Most
              people, if challenged, would say there is probably a bit
     7        of both.
 
     8   Q.   Do you know what proportion of food poisoning incidents
              are related to poultry?
     9        A.  The proportion?  No, it would be pretty well
              impossible to because the majority of cases of food
    10        poisoning do not actually have a cause or, should I say, a
              cause has not been identified.
    11
         Q.   Where a cause is identified what is responsible, or what
    12        food product is associated with it?
              A.  Well, as I said earlier, in relation to food poisoning
    13        for salmonella in relation to food poisoning generally,
              poultry is one of the products that is identified quite
    14        regularly.  But there are also outbreaks of cases linked
              to -- for example, milk, there was one recently in
    15        Scotland where there was an outbreak due to an E.coli
              organism -- this occurred in Scotland -- but, of course,
    16        the main reasons why outbreaks or cases occur is because
              of a failure to observe the basic rules of hygiene.
    17
         Q.   Leaving aside the reasons why they occur, what products
    18        are most associated with outbreaks of food poisoning?
              A.  Well, again, to the best of my knowledge, and bearing
    19        in mind the proviso that I have given that probably in the
              majority of cases a cause has not been identified,
    20        poultry, raw poultry meat, is one of the ones that is
              identified.
    21
              But let me go on to explain that it is quite normal to
    22        have a piece of poultry meat which is contaminated with
              salmonella.  In fact, one must assume that it will be
    23        contaminated with salmonella.  Therefore, one must take
              this into account in the way in which the food is stored,
    24        handled and cooked.
 
    25        I mean, I must emphasise that the main reason where they
              have been identified is because of failure to observe 
    26        temperature controls, keeping food too long and cross 
              contamination from something like raw poultry to, for 
    27        example, cooked poultry which would not subsequently be
              treated.
    28
         Q.   It is important to cook things properly?
    29        A.  Absolutely.
 
    30   Q.   Is that particularly true for meat products?
              A.  Oh, yes.

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