Cousin’s abattoir involved

Feb 14 2008 by Catherine Evans, Rhymney Valley Express

THE public inquiry heard that the E.coli contaminated meat was slaughtered at an abattoir owned by the cousin of William Tudor.

James Eadie said the same strain of E.coli 0157 was found on a farm that supplied cattle for slaughter to JE Tudor & Sons in Treorchy and that it passed through the area on the way to William Tudor in Bridgend.

Inspection reports from the abattoir, carried out by the Meat Hygiene Service, will be examined during the inquiry.

Mr Eadie told the inquiry: “Some contemporaneous documentation appeared to show that Treorchy had not reached acceptable standards.

“The inquiry asked a series of questions about what had occurred. Those statements were finally received last week.”

E.coli lives in the faeces and guts of animals and can get into the human food chain during the slaughter process.

Mr Eadie said: “To test each animal would be a massive and hugely costly exercise, the burden being borne by the farmer and the taxpayer. The farmer plays no part in the attempts to minimise the risk of E.coli from entering the food chain. Those who handle and deal with animals from farms have to practise on the basis that E.coli might be present in the faeces and guts of that animal.”