Day 100 - 09 Mar 95 - Page 15


     
     1        that we serve, if there was a failure in our systems, it
     2        would affect a lot more than one customer.
     3
     4        Therefore, in the investigation you need to have really an
     5        outbreak so one or more people suffering from that
     6        condition.  Then you can start to gather evidence and say:
     7         "Ah, yes, well, they all ate at McDonald's on the same day
     8        within the same period of time", whatever, "it is more than
     9        likely that McDonald's was responsible for that case".
    10
    11   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  But if you get one under-cooked chicken meal
    12        that may cause someone within the next five to seven days
    13        food poisoning?
    14        A.  We do not cook meals individually.  We batch cook
    15        products.  So, it would be -- it is a possibility but it
    16        would be highly unlikely.
    17
    18   MS. STEEL:  Some areas of the grill are cooler than other areas
    19        of the grill, are they not?
    20        A.  Very marginally so.
    21
    22   Q.   There have been in the past?
    23        A.  A couple of degrees -- I think, five degrees Fahrenheit
    24        which is a couple of degrees Centigrade is the tolerance.
    25
    26   Q.   Some people are more susceptible to food poisoning bugs
    27        than other people, are they not?
    28        A.  Yes, correct.
    29
    30   Q.   So things like that, you could have an incident where it
    31        just so happened there was only a limited number of burgers
    32        that were under-cooked and of the people who got those
    33        burgers there were only one or two that were susceptible?
    34        A.  It is a possibility, yes.
    35
    36   MR. MORRIS:  So, the Preston food poisoning outbreak, you do not
    37        accept that as proof of McDonald's responsibility?
    38        A.  I am personally?
    39
    40   Q.   Proof?
    41        A.  Are you asking me personally?
    42
    43   Q.   Yes -- no, well, yes, your department -- personally?
    44        A.  My opinion is that it was not fully conclusive, the
    45        evidence.
    46
    47   Q.   OK.  So, by your criteria, even when you get a large number
    48        of people who have had stool samples taken ---
    49        A.  We have never ------
    50 
    51   Q.   -- who have all eaten at the same store ----- 
    52        A.  We have never had that situation -- not to my knowledge 
    53        and not during my time at the company.
    54
    55   Q.   Are you aware that the Public Health Laboratory Service did
    56        an investigation, including medical records, of the people
    57        that were victims?
    58        A.  Are you talking about Preston?
    59
    60   Q.   Yes.

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