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66
We do not regard present legislation as being sufficiently
stringent in its application to the sale of foodstuffs. Unless the
condition of the food exposed for sale is so bad as to be definitely
unfit within the meaning of the Public Health Act, 1875, little
action can be taken.
We think that legislation should be introduced which would
provide the Local Authority with power to exercise such control
over the display, preparation and distribution of food supplies as
would prevent such food becoming exposed to the many forms of
contamination to which it is now subjected.
The inadequacy and ambiguity of the Public Health (Meat)
Regulations, 1924, as applied to stalls and shops is an example of
the type of legislation to avoid.
(b) Ice-cream.—In this country ice-cream is still regarded as a
luxury rather than a food, although, following upon improved
methods of manufacture and distribution, the demand for this
product is now becoming more continued.
So far the only powers for control of this trade are included
in local acts, national legislation being non-existent, except from
the point of view of probable contamination.
Unlike other and kindred products such as milk, butter, etc.,
no standard of chemical composition or cleanliness of the product
has been set up.
The wholesomeness of ice-cream, as with most prepared foodstuffs,
is influenced chiefly by:—
(1) Purity and storage of ingredients.
(2) Method of preparation.
(3) Storage and distribution of the finished product.
The chief constituent of ice-cream should be cream or milk,
whether fresh, dried or condensed. In the absence of legal standards,
it is not surprising that many ice-creams show variations in the milk
fat content between 1 per cent and 20 per cent, the retail prices of