Day 099 - 08 Mar 95 - Page 13

     
     1        what in your view or in your knowledge are the conditions
     2        in which microbiological activity may increase or
     3        proliferate?
     4        A.  The generally accepted ranges are between 6 and 63
     5        degrees centigrade.
     6
     7   Q.   Do you specify maximum temperatures during the process of
     8        manufacture -- manufactured for your processes or not?
     9        A.  Could you repeat the question, please?
    10
    11   Q.   Sorry, it was not a very good question.  So as to ensure,
    12        as far as possible, minimal bacterial proliferation, from
    13        what you have said it is desirable that the temperature of
    14        the product should be above six degrees?
    15        A.  Correct.
    16
    17   Q.   Has the proliferation above six degrees occurred?
    18        A.  It depends, obviously, on what organisms you are
    19        talking about.  If you are specifically talking about food
    20        poisoning organisms .....
    21
    22   Q.   We are going to go into that in more detail, talking about,
    23        yes, what is sometimes called pathogenic organisms?
    24        A.  All organisms have their preferable temperatures at
    25        which they will grow.
    26
    27   Q.   Perhaps we can come back to that.  But do you tell the
    28        suppliers what are the maximum temperatures the product
    29        should be allowed to reach during the processing so that
    30        the proliferation may be kept to a minimum?
    31        A.  Correct, well, the temperature profile of product
    32        through manufacture is highlighted as a control area and,
    33        as such, will be controlled by a Quality Assurance
    34        programme.
    35
    36   Q.   Does your department visit Golden West?
    37        A.  Yes.
    38
    39   Q.   Does it look to see whether Golden West is handling the
    40        food in a manner which is apt to prevent danger to human
         health?
    42        A.  Yes.
    43
    44   Q.   Does your department visit McKey?
    45        A.  Yes, we do.
    46
    47   Q.   How often?
    48        A.  A supplier like McKey's would be visited possibly up to
    49        two times a month by members of our department.  I would
    50        say that would be about average. 
    51 
    52   Q.   How many people have you got in your department, roughly 
    53        speaking?
    54        A.  There are six of us.
    55
    56   Q.   Does that mean that you yourself will have been to McKey's?
    57        A.  I visit McKey's, yes.
    58
    59   Q.   What about Sun Valley?  Will you go to that as well?
    60        A.  Yes, I will also visit Sun Valley.