Day 088 - 13 Feb 95 - Page 19

     
     1   Q.   For how long in an ordinary working week would a piece of
     2        meat be kept in an equalising chiller before it is shipped
     3        off to the customer?
     4        A.  That is a difficult question, sir, because we have so
     5        many varying demands from different customers.
     6
     7   Q.   So the transfer out of the chiller is according to demand?
     8        A.  Yes.
     9
    10   Q.   What is the maximum that you would keep a piece of meat or
    11        be made to keep a piece of meat in the equalising chiller,
    12        do you think?
    13        A.  In the equalising chiller?  Normally we kill today, we
    14        equalise today and tomorrow and then we cut tomorrow.
    15
    16   Q.   Is the cutting done with the meat straight out of the
    17        equaliser?
    18        A.  Yes, it is.
    19
    20   Q.   So it is done at, sort of, two to three degrees?
         A.  That is correct.
    22
    23   Q.   Will the temperature of the meat rise while the deboning or
    24        cutting is going on?
    25        A.  When we go into the cutting and boning rooms the
    26        temperature there is 10 degrees, so there will be a slight
    27        rise.
    28
    29   Q.   10 degrees in the room?
    30        A.  Yes, in the room, in the working temperature.
    31
    32   Q.   Do you check the temperature of the meat before it leaves
    33        the premises?
    34        A.  Yes, we do.
    35
    36   Q.   Do you have a standard for the maximum temperature which
    37        the meat should be allowed to reach before leaving your
    38        factory?
    39        A.  Yes, we do.
    40
    Q.   Which is?
    42        A.  It varies again, according to customer, but we operate
    43        to the most stringent customer, and we have one customer
    44        who requires the meat to be no more than plus two, and that
    45        is our target for everyone.
    46
    47   Q.   At sorry?
    48        A.  Plus two.
    49
    50   Q.   Yes. 
    51        A.  And that is our target for every one of our customers. 
    52 
    53   Q.   I am interested, as you understand, this being a case
    54        brought by McDonald's in the temperature at which the meat
    55        destined for McKey's is when it leaves your premises.
    56        A.  I believe -- I remember the specification correctly --
    57        it is plus four.
    58
    59   Q.   Does it actually get up to plus four or not?
    60        A.  Very, very rarely.  I believe it is fair to say we have