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25
The Public's Choice of Shop
There was a considerable amount of controversy on the question of boycotting of shops which did
not display a certificate. This followed a resolution passed by the Willesden East Labour Party in the
following terms:— "the Party are fully behind the Clean Food Guild in their fight to improve the present
appalling conditions in the handling and displaying of unwrapped foodstuffs and will instruct its members to
boycott all shops that do not display a certificate of cleanliness issued by the Guild." The absence of a clean
food certificate does not always indicate that the trader falls below the standards required by the committee.
It is, therefore, hoped that many more of the 900 traders who have no certificates but have good standards
of food hygiene will apply for certificates. In the meantime housewives might well consider expressing a
preference for shops where they have some guarantee of receiving clean uncontaminated food.
Summary
Much remains to be done to ensure that the public gets clean, uncontaminated food. Many food
handlers need to know more about the basic essentials of clean food handling. Willesden is well in the vanguard
of clean food production, preparation, and distribution, but continual effort and attention is required to
keep up and improve the standards.
Contaminated Food
The number of cases of contaminated food brought to the notice of the Council, and the extent of
food poisoning and dysentery in the Borough, give some indication of the need for improving the hygiene of
food handling in the district. During the year 1951, many cases of foreign bodies found in food were
reported by members of the public. In some cases a caution was administered to the firm responsible, and in
others the offenders were prosecuted with the following results:—
Newspaper in loaf Fined £20. Costs £3 3s. 0d.
Flies in loaf Case dismissed. Costs £3 3s. 0d. (paid by defendant)
Coin in loaf Fined £5. Costs £2 2s. 0d.
Flour contaminated by mice Fined £5. Costs £2 2s. 0d.
Nail in bun Fined £5. Costs £2 2s. 0d.
Paper in milk Fined £5. Costs £2 2s. 0d.
Doubtless many more instances of contaminated food occurred in the district, but they are not all
brought to the notice of the authority.
Unfit and Adulterated Food
In this .period of food shortages it is again disappointing to record the condemnation of large quantities
of food unfit for human consumption (Table III).
The Middlesex County Council supervise food adulteration, and this is another example of duplication
of work. An intimate knowledge of food traders in the district helps in the discovery of both unsound and
adulterated food, and consequently these duties should be carried out by the authority which has this knowledge—the
district council (Table IV).
Food Poisoning
There was no outbreak of food poisoning during the year; 10 single cases of food poisoning were
reported, but the sources of infection could not be traced.
There were several outbreaks of Sonne dysentery in the borough during the year. Four day
nurseries, several schools and 345 members of the general public were affected. The schools and day nurseries
were visited by doctors, health visitors and sanitary inspectors, and suggestions were made for the more
hygienic handling of the food.