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86
Inspections to these premises during the year numbered 196 and
in 17 instances improvements to shops and factories were effected
solely by informal action.
Manufacture and Sale of Ice Cream.—The amount of
Ice Cream consumed in the Borough has considerably increased as
witness the number of premises newly registered during the year and,
as a result, the need for strict supervision of hygiene practised by
the manufacturer and vendor has grown in proportion.
The demand, even during winter, by "all and sundry" for
ice cream has been sustained in a large measure by the continuance
of sweet rationing and the popularity of the "ice lolly" with
children is doubtless due to its cheapness in comparison with other
forms of sweetmeats.
In connection with the sale of these "lollies" one or two complaints
of "burning of the lips" were reported and upon investigation
it was ascertained that in these instances the refrigerator was
controlled at too low a temperature, thus giving rise to a mild form
of frost bite. Arrangements were made for the vendors to remedy
this fault and for the controlled refrigerator temperature to be set
higher.
The Ice Cream (Heat Treatment, etc.) Regulations, 1947, and the
Amendment Regulations, 1948.—The above Regulations were
introduced to secure the elimination of pathogenic organisms by a
heat-treatment process similar to that used in the pasteurisation of
milk and, generally speaking, this has been accomplished.
Ice Cream Sampling (Bacteriological Examination).—As in the
previous year the Council continued to make use of the Public
Health Laboratory Service as provided for under the National
Health Act and 132 samples were submitted for examination and
grading according to the Ministry's provisional Grading Scheme.
The grading is based on the results of the Methylene Blue Reductase
Test and a summary of the year's reports is given below:—
Samples Taken
Time taken to Reduce
Methylene Blue
Provisional
Grade
Observations
65 4½ hours or more 1 Satisfactory
40 2½ to 4 hours 2 Sub-standard
20 ½ to 2 hours 3 Unsatisfactory
6 0 hours 4 Most Unsatisfactory
1 (This sample was too highly coloured to give a satisfactory
interpretation of the test).
Full particulars of unsatisfactory samples concerning Ice
Cream manufactured outside the District were furnished to the
Medical Officers of Health of the Boroughs concerned for any action