Day 094 - 01 Mar 95 - Page 57
1 A. Yes, they do.
2
3 Q. You do not specify to them then which tests -- well, do you
4 specify that they have to do some tests definitely and then
5 others are optional?
6 A. We specify in the regulations that they have to meet
7 regulations. What we leave up to them is that you have to
8 understand that the microorganisms are more prevalent or
9 absent depending on the conditions and the environment.
10 For us to specify every single condition that we might find
11 a particular type of bacteria is practically impossible.
12 We are not going to be testing for bacteria, we are
13 required to test for bacteria that we know is present
14 there. So we let the suppliers decide because they are the
15 experts in their own field, in their own area to decide
16 what kind of testing should be done. That type of testing
17 should be done and will be approved in consultation with
18 the Quality Assurance Department of McDonald's.
19
20 MR. JUSTICE BELL: We will have our five-minute break there.
21
22 (Short Adjournment).
23
24 MS. STEEL: I want to clarify what you said before the break.
25 So you would not test for bacteria, a particular type of
26 bacteria if you did not think it was going to be present?
27 A. If we have enough evidence to believe it is not
28 present, yes.
29
30 Q. Well, what other evidence would you have to believe that it
31 was not present?
32 A. What evidence? There is a lot of research that is
33 constantly being done in the different countries to
34 identify the prevalent microbiological flora which will
35 include the bacteria that might be of a potential hazard to
36 human consumption.
37
38 Q. Something like E.coli 0157: H would not be something that
39 was particularly prevalent, but it still might be there?
40 A. At that particular time when it happened nobody knew it
41 existed. Therefore, we could not test for it. Now we know
42 it exists and we test for it.
43
44 Q. Yes, but is that type of bacteria particularly prevalent?
45 A. No. It is very small levels; very, very small levels.
46
47 Q. So the position is you test for particular types of
48 bacteria if you think they are likely to be there?
49 A. If we have enough evidence, we believe that we need to
50 test for anything, make a scientific test, I mean
51 scientific sense, we will do so.
52
53 Q. The Grand Island slaughterhouse, that is one of the ones
54 that has been part of the experiment of the streamlined
55 inspection system?
56 A. I am not sure.
57
58 Q. You do not know?
59 A. No, I do not know.
60
