Day 094 - 01 Mar 95 - Page 47
1
2 Q. So what would happen if the glands could not be found, they
3 had been chucked in a bucket somewhere?
4 A. I do not know. I am not going to speculate on that.
5 I cannot speculate on that.
6
7 Q. Is it then usual practice for the head and carcass to be
8 washed with high pressure water?
9 A. High pressure water?
10
11 Q. Yes, spray?
12 A. Yes.
13
14 Q. Would you agree that whilst that may wash off visible dirt
15 it may actually cause bacteria to become more embedded in
16 the meat?
17 A. No, that is an incorrect statement.
18
19 Q. Why do you feel that is an incorrect statement?
20 A. Because I have seen data in which that case has been
21 compared and, in fact, the data, there is a lot of data
22 that showed that it is actually better. If you do it
23 right, it is better.
24
25 Q. If you do it right, it is better?
26 A. That is correct.
27
28 Q. What is better?
29 A. The microbiological level.
30
31 Q. Were these tests, the data that you have seen, the tests,
32 were they on the surface of the meat?
33 A. Yes. Mostly on the surface of the meat, yes, the
34 carcass.
35
36 Q. So they would not necessarily discover the bacteria that
37 had gone further into the meat?
38 A. That is extremely difficult for the bacteria to go
39 inside the meat. The bacteria is located on the outside of
40 the meat.
41
42 Q. But it could be washed into crevices in the meat or
43 something like that?
44 A. The carcass does not have crevices. It is a smooth
45 surface until it is deboned. It could be when the tests
46 were done it was taking that into consideration; it was a
47 representative sample.
48
49 Q. Is it right that carcasses move around the killing floor at
50 a rate of about 325 an hour?
51 A. I never seen that -----
52
53 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Can we just get this in context? You have
54 said that you have not actually visited this plant?
55 A. That is correct.
56
57 Q. So I am assuming when you give answers you are not saying
58 specifically "yes" or "no" in relation to this plant, but
59 speaking of your general experience of such plants in the
60 United States; is that correct?
