Day 016 - 22 Jul 94 - Page 43
1 which they are used by McDonald's.
2 MR. JUSTICE BELL: What is the point you are making?
3 MS. STEEL: There is a point. I am getting a bit concerned
actually at the line Mr. Rampton is taking. We are
4 continually being pressurised to hurry up and finish
cross-examination, but when he is bringing
5 evidence-in-chief he reads endless amounts of huge, long
pamphlets. I really do not think it is fair that he is
6 trying to put us under this amount of pressure.
7 MR. JUSTICE BELL: You carry on unless I hurry you up, but is
there a point on the 89 per cent which is relevant?
8
MS. STEEL: It was in his statement.
9
MR. JUSTICE BELL: I know, but is there a point you want to
10 make on it?
11 MS. STEEL: I am making a point here Mr. Wheelock is saying
that if there was a demand for foods free of additives,
12 then they could be made available. I am just asking
whether McDonald's is making them available.
13
MR. JUSTICE BELL: You have the answer.
14
MS. STEEL: Yes. I was going to move on then. I was
15 interrupted. You then go on in on this page to say: "It
would be unreasonable for these demands to be reflected in
16 the permitted lists, because there is a still a very large
number of consumers who are not worried about additives
17 and may even prefer them". Do you not think that actually
contradicts what you said earlier on, where you say that
18 89 per cent of people said there were too many additives?
A. No, I do not think so because when it comes to the
19 point, people's behaviour is demonstrated by what they
actually buy, and I think the concern about additives is
20 very often grossly inflated, certainly from a safety point
of view.
21
Q. Yes, but as you have agreed, what people may buy may be
22 dependent on what is available?
A. I agree, yes.
23
Q. Have you actually surveyed any consumers who say they
24 prefer additives?
A. No, I have not.
25
Q. Going on to page 40?
26 A. Yes, I have got there.
27 Q. The last sentence of that paragraph: "Should any of these
subsequently be found to be hazardous, then the high level
28 of consumption might cause some adverse effect to
health". Are you suggesting there that we do not know
29 whether these substances are hazardous or not?
A. What I am saying there is that we cannot be absolutely
30 certain that every food additive we use is absolutely safe
under every possible circumstance. There is always a
