Day 037 - 14 Oct 94 - Page 24


     
     1        this table did a very good job.  Retinol is only available
     2        in animal foods.  It is the animal form of vitamin A, and
     3        they have only stated half the truth here.
     4
     5        The note here says:  "This vitamin is stored by the body
     6        and excessive amounts can be dangerous".  Again, somebody
     7        relying upon this for their nutritional advice would think
     8        to themselves, "Vitamin A (otherwise known as retinol) can
     9        be dangerous.  Heavens above!  I had better not have too
    10        much of it".
    11
    12        What they fail to mention is that, although they do
    13        mention, they imply it in the next column called "Main
    14        Sources", the most biologically active form of non-animal
    15        vitamin A, which is Beta-carotene, is almost universally
    16        considered to be a huge promoter of health and preventure
    17        of disease, and it is essential we all get probably much
    18        more than we are consuming now; and that considerable
    19        studies do show that there is no toxic dose of this form
    20        of vitamin A.
    21
    22        So, the comment that applies there as far as, "This
    23        vitamin is stored by the body and excessive amounts can be
    24        dangerous" simply is wrong.
    25
    26   Q.   In your opinion, does that only relate to the retinol
    27        version of vitamin A that excessive amounts can be
    28        dangerous, or you do not know?
    29        A.  Well, that comment is only correct as it refers to
    30        retinol; it is incorrect as it refers to other plant forms
    31        of the vitamin.  Plainly incorrect.
    32
    33   Q.   Let us not go into enormous depth of every chart.
    34        A.  But, again, I feel this is more to do with marketing,
    35        more to do with image, than the satisfaction of public
    36        interest and healthy eating.
    37
    38   Q.   You have said in your statement -----
    39
    40   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Are you staying on that document or going to
    41        another one?  We will have our five-minute break now.
    42
    43                            (Short Adjournment)
    44
    45   MR. MORRIS:  If we just stay with that particular pamphlet,
    46         "McDonald's Food:  The Facts", in your statement you have
    47        pointed out that over the page, from the page you were
    48        referring to, under the heading "What is a healthy diet?"
    49        have you not, that says -- two-thirds of the way down the
    50        page, that is page 7 of the actual document. 
    51 
    52   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Page 17. 
    53
    54   MR. MORRIS:  "Eat less fat, particularly saturated fat"; is
    55        that correct?
    56        A.  Yes.
    57
    58   Q.   If we go to page -- in their charts at the back, they do
    59        have the saturated fat content.  This is in, I believe,
    60        1989, July 1989; it was printed in July 1989.

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