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FOOD HYGIENE
Since the introduction of the Food Hygiene Regulations, 1955,
considerable progress has been made in structural improvements in
food premiseso A large number of food shops and restaurant
kitchens have been completely reconstructed following notices from
the Public Health Inspectors and, in addition, other shopkeepers
and restaurant proprietors have voluntarily modernised their
premises and in nearly all cases have sought and accepted the
advice of the Inspectors before the alterations started„
Several provision shops have followed the modern trend of
self-service, and although this method ensures that almost all
goods are wrapped and the majority displayed under refrigeration,
special attention has now to be paid to the preparation rooms where
the foodstuffs are weighed and packed. This has sometimes meant
requests for additional washing facilities to be provided within
or adjacent to the preparation room so that persons handling
unwrapped butter, cheese and cooked meats can be encouraged to
wash after opening tinSj, packing-cases and cartons„
As a result of the improved conditions in shops and kitchens,
the Inspectors are now able to devote more time to educating food
handlers in good hygienic practices, and during 1959 this was
carried a stage further by means of a course of food hygiene
lectures to hospital kitchen staffs at the request of the No. 4
(Chelsea) Group Hospital Management Committee. This course vas
conducted by the St0 John Ambulance Brigade who invited the Medical
Officer of Health and four of the Public Health Inspectors to give
lectures and carry out the verbal examination at the end of the
course,.
With the advent of automatic food and milk vending machines and
conversions to self-service stores, the pattern of the food retail
business appears to be changing and it has been noted with interest
during the year that e number of food premises, the majority of
them small family businesses, have closed down and the premises have
either been re-opened for other purposes, or remain unoccupied, in
some cases awaiting redevelopment of the site. On the other hand,
only on four occasions has the reverse happened, where premises used
for various other businesses have been converted to food shops or
restaurants. Examples of the changes which occurred during 1959
are given on the following page.