Day 014 - 20 Jul 94 - Page 50
1
MR. JUSTICE BELL: I can see why you did not actually read it
2 out but, anyway, you cannot answer that.
3 MR. RAMPTON: May I perhaps raise this with you, Professor
Wheelock: One of the proposed benefits of a diet -- I do
4 not say high but relatively high -- at perhaps 18 grammes
a day of fibre is that increased bulk in the stool may
5 remove bile acids in greater quantity and more quickly ---
A. That is right.
6
Q. -- than a diet which is low in such fibre with consequent
7 benefits in the prevention of bowel cancer; is that right?
A. Yes, I think that would be a fair line of reasoning,
8 because there is no doubt that if the amount of fibre in
the diet is increased, then the transit time which is
9 referred to is reduced. In other words, the contents will
be gone more quickly and so that could possibly reduce any
10 toxic materials more quickly before they do any damage.
11 Q. Do you regard that theory, commonsensical and attractive
though it no doubt is -- I believe it may have originated
12 with Burkett back in 1971, did it, Dennis Burkett?
A. It could well have been -- it probably did because he
13 made detailed studies of people in Africa who had very
high intakes of dietary fibre.
14
Q. We are now, what, 23 years on from then. Would you, as a
15 responsible scientist, say that that theory, as I say,
attractive and commonsensical though it may be, has been
16 established as a medical fact?
A. That would be difficult to say. I think the position
17 is that there is convincing evidence for increasing foods
which contain a fair amount of dietary fibre, such us
18 fresh fruit and vegetables and wholemeal bread and whole
grain rice, but whether or not the benefits actually come
19 from the increase in fibre or from other constituents
present in those foods, such as the antioxidants that you
20 would get in fresh fruit and vegetables, is difficult at
this stage to say.
21
Q. I think for the moment, Professor Wheelock, I would like
22 you to put the grey book down but in a place where we can
go back to it, if we need to verify my calculations later
23 on.
24 I want to come very shortly to the fat, sodium and fibre
content of McDonald's food. But first I want to ask you
25 about something else which is additives. One of the
allegations which is made in this case, though I am not
26 certain about this, but not I think in the leaflet
complained of -- is that McDonald's use of additives in
27 their food is hazardous to human health in various
different respects. Are you aware of that?
28 A. Yes, I am.
29 Q. My Lord, the reference in the pleadings is tab 3, page 13,
subparagraph 5. That is the abstract of the defence?
30 A. Which volume?
