Industry expert says Santos meat subpar

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, May 13, 2004 | by Glenn Chapman, STAFF WRITER

OAKLAND -- Santos Linguisa Factory was hygienically horrid, a meat industry expert said Wednesday in testimony undermining the defense stance that Stuart Alexander was driven to kill by overly zealous food safety regulators.

Ted Mori assured prosecutor Jack Laettner there was "no way" Mori would eat Santos sausage given what he knew of the way it was made. The family linguisa empire, founded in San Leandro in 1921, ended after Alexander shot three meat inspectors dead in his retail sales room and went gunning for a fourth June 21, 2000.

Mori held firm in his aversion to Santos linguisa, despite defense attorney Michael Ogul having him suppose there were no reports of anyone ever getting sick from Santos products.

"How do you know no one has ever been ill?" Mori countered, saying food illnesses are notoriously under reported because people tend to mistake them for 24-hour flu. "I find that hard to prove either way."

Mori referred to scientific charts and studies during testimony that left Ogul struggling to support the argument Alexander was being picked on for using an old-fashioned sausage-smoking style. In response to Ogul dismissing concerns about trichanae worms in commercial pork, Mori cited findings of cases as recently as 2002.

Sausage evidently wasn't cooked long enough, hot enough and properly enough to destroy parasites, concluded Mori. The ground pork was apparently warmed enough to promote the growth of bacteria that release temperature-resistant toxins, Mori said.

"You're not the Ph.D, are you?" Ogul snapped after Mori analytically rejected Ogul's effort to apply one doctor's research to Santos.

"Don't you think, sometimes, human beings just don't know how some scientific things work?" Ogul later implored, suggesting the blend of smoke and vinegar marinate used by Santos might have yet-to-be- discovered parasite-fighting powers. Mori remained adamant that Santos was a haven for bacteria.

Alexander was among those who attended a free workshop taught by Mori and a peer at University of California, Davis in 1999. The course was intended to help small meat-plant operators clear hurdles involved in crafting "Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points" required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Small meat operations needed to have the plans for monitoring of health concerns in place by the end of January 2000. Alexander rolled his eyes and talked to nearby classmates during the course, Mori said.

A failure to file an HACCP plan was among the flaws that left Alexander without USDA approval of his linguisa in the months prior to fatally shooting federal and state meat inspectors Jean Hillery of Alameda, Thomas Quadros and William Shaline.

Mori began testifying early Wednesday. The courtroom clock showed nearly 4:30 p.m. when Alameda County Superior Court Judge Vern Nakahara asked if there were any further questions for the witness.

"We're beating a dead pig, your honor," Laettner said, prompting smiles in the jury box. "We're going to pass."

Alexander, 43, could be sentenced to death if convicted as charged with murdering meat inspectors for doing their jobs.