Day 246 - 09 May 96 - Page 48
1 by the Government, I am sure would be familiar with that
2 document and its contents. I would be very surprised if
3 they did not read it, if they did not digest it, and
4 incorporate that which it says into our programmes.
5
6 I find many, many times with these recommendations of
7 committees that what McDonald's already does goes far
8 beyond what they recommend, so I think doing what they
9 necessarily recommend may in fact be a retrograde step and
10 we would be very cautious about saying "that is what we
11 do", because we often at times go far beyond what they say.
12
13 Q. So in as much as they are not less than what you are doing,
14 generally you would take their advice and go further?
15 A. Our people would have looked at what is in there and
16 made decisions accordingly, yes.
17
18 Q. Are you aware that this Advisory Committee on the
19 Microbiological Safety of Food has recommended -- and
20 I will read out a couple of recommendations -- "We endorse
21 the Chief Medical Officer's advice that burgers should be
22 cooked until the juices run clear and there are no pink
23 bits inside. This advice should be reconsidered when
24 results of research recommended into the relationship
25 between the formulation and colour of cooked mince meat
26 products, the colour of juices, and the temperature
27 achieved in the survival of BTEC (which is E.Coli 0157) are
28 available.
29
30 We endorse the Government's advice to cooked minced beef
31 and minced beef products, including beef burgers, to a
32 minimum internal temperature of 70 degrees Centigrade 2
33 minutes or equivalent.
34
35 This advice should be reviewed when the results of the
36 relevant research mentioned in R6/10 above are known.
37
38 We recommend that industries should ensure that the cooking
39 instructions supplied with beef burgers should be capable
40 of achieving an internal temperature of 70 degrees
41 Centigrade for 2 minutes or equivalent so that the burgers
42 juices run clear and there are no pink bits inside."
43
44 Were you aware of those recommendations?
45 A. I am aware of the internal temperature one, the 70
46 degree.
47
48 Q. And you are happy with those recommendations?
49 A. I think we exceed them. I think we go a little hotter
50 than that.
51
52 Q. You would be happy to accept these as a minimum then?
53 A. I think it is a recommendation and, without reading the
54 whole document, it is difficult to take bits and pieces of
55 it in isolation. I would really have to, either myself
56 with help or through a professional, ask them to redigest
57 it and, quite frankly, explain it to my simple mind. I am
58 not scientific, I am afraid.
59
60 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I really think you have got to be a bit wary
