Day 085 - 08 Feb 95 - Page 47
1
2 MS. STEEL: That has all been in relation to beef?
3 A. No, chicken as well or product integrity, as we call
4 it.
5
6 Q. That has been in relation to cooking times and calibration
7 checks?
8 A. No, not always. Some of the things, well, some things
9 are that we had independent checks done on our grill on an
10 annual basis by the company that supplied it. We had a
11 programme of visiting restaurants unannounced just to check
12 that things were OK. We reinvestigated the calibration
13 equipment that we have to make sure that there was not a
14 better one. We had product integrity seminars where we sat
15 all the senior managers down and told them about the
16 implications of this, about the importance of following the
17 correct procedures. We investigated times and temperatures
18 to ascertain that the grill was correct. I believe we
19 accelerated the clamshell grill programmes at all stores,
20 clamshell grills -- there is a whole host of the things
21 that have happened since 1991.
22
23 Q. The independent checks that were done by the suppliers of
24 the grills, that presumably was to check that the equipment
25 was working efficiently?
26 A. They checked the grill and the last check that they do
27 is to make sure that a full run of meat cooks to 70 degrees
28 Centigrade. So they verify the whole operation of the
29 grill, conduct a series of checks and, before they leave
30 the restaurant in the presence of the restaurant manager,
31 they cook, run a product and ensure that the four corner
32 patties (which are normally the ones if there is any
33 variation between the temperature, they will be the lowest
34 ones) that they are at 70 degrees Centigrade. So, it is
35 just a further, you know, belt and braces approach to
36 product safety, product integrity.
37
38 Q. The programme of visiting restaurants unannounced just to
39 check that things were OK, what was checked during those
40 visits?
41 A. We checked the temperature, internal temperature, of
42 the meat. We checked the temperature of the freezers,
43 checked the temperature of the grill surface, we checked
44 the crew were washing their hands, the storage conditions
45 of the meat and chicken, and just identified through HACCP
46 analysis the critical control points throughout which the
47 meat arrives in the restaurants to when it reaches the
48 customers, what the most critical areas were and we
49 prioritised those, and went in and checked that they were
50 up to standard.
51
52 Q. The freezer temperature has implications for the length of
53 time it will take to cook the product?
54 A. Not really. We just wanted to make sure that the
55 freezers were at the right temperature, that they gave a
56 reading between minus 18 and minus 23.
57
58 Q. The product integrity seminar where all senior managers
59 were sat down and told about the implications of this, what
60 was said at those meetings? What were the main points that
