Day 079 - 27 Jan 95 - Page 40


     
     1
     2   MS. STEEL:   It is not defined as bad in EEC terms because the
     3        EEC do not have any guidelines on ---
     4        A.  No.
     5
     6   Q.   -- the microbiological?
     7        A.  No, bacteriological standards in the EEC directives.
     8
     9   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Do you mean you have never had experience of
    10        meat coming to McKey that could not be used which was not
    11        fit for human consumption which has got that far?
    12        A.  My Lord, I cannot remember any.  I have seen meat that
    13        bad -- but not in McKey's context -- in my own meat
    14        experience context.  My Lord, the sort of thing that would
    15        cause that was if a lorry was coming to the plant and there
    16        had been a refrigeration breakdown on the lorry and the
    17        meat had been at a high temperature for a number of hours.
    18
    19   Q.   It should not leave the boning room if it is unfit for
    20        human consumption; it should not do?
    21        A.  It would not, sir.  For the meat to leave the abattoir
    22        and boning room, sir, the veterinary officer has to sign
    23        the documents.
    24
    25   Q.   I know, I still say "should not" because if you have been a
    26        lawyer for over 30 years you know that things go wrong ---
    27        A.  Yes, sir
    28
    29   Q.   -- but it should not be, and you actually cannot remember
    30        any coming into McKey which was unfit for human
    31        consumption?
    32        A.  No, sir.
    33
    34   Q.   That is what you are saying?
    35        A.  I cannot remember that, sir.
    36
    37   MS. STEEL:  But that is only stuff that smells and looks and
    38        feels like it is "off"?
    39        A.  I said that, I think, in answer to your question of how
    40        would you know.  Meat for McKey is always less than four
    41        degrees when it arrives, internal temperature, and if it is
    42        over four degrees it is rejected.  That is a cast-iron
    43        rejection and I have known many rejections of meat arriving
    44        on the loading dock over four degrees.
    45
    46   Q.   Then would it get sent back to the suppliers?
    47        A.  Straightaway.
    48
    49   MR. MORRIS:  Just on that last point, if it arrives quite often,
    50        you said, under four degrees it would be sent back to the 
    51        suppliers, yes? 
    52        A.  No, I said if it arrives over four degrees. 
    53
    54   MR. MORRIS:  Sorry, I mean over four degrees; that happens quite
    55        often, yes, you said?
    56        A.  No, it does not happen quite often.  I have said I have
    57        known it often happen over the years; it is the most usual
    58        reason for rejection.
    59
    60   Q.   Right.

Prev Next Index