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The Essex County Council Act, 1952, Section 105, requires that as
from 2nd April, 1953, any person intending to use premises which were
not used immediately before that date for the sale, storage, or preparation
for sale of any food (other than milk) intended for human consumption
shall give not less than 14 days' notice to the Council of his intention so
to do.
The whole-time services of two Sanitary Inspectors are utilised to deal
with food preparing premises, factory canteen premises and food and drugs
sampling. During 1955, they made 14,371 inspections of food shops and
food preparing premises and copies of the bye-laws were supplied where
necessary and the implications of them were made known to all persons
concerned. 127 informal and 7 formal notices were served under the Food
& Drugs Act, and 8 formal and 119 informal notices were complied with
including 3 formal and 23 informal notices served prior to 1955.
(ii) Food Hygiene.

The practice of inculcating interest in the proprietors, directors and
staffs of food handling organisations was continued in 1955, and it is satisfactory
to note that the catering industry, as a whole, continues to cooperate
admirably.
Lectures and demonstrations with film strips and films were given to
food handlers.
Education in food hygiene has now been extended to the senior schools
and to study groups of various local organisations.
(iii) Sampling.
The Council has delegated to the Public Health Committee power to
institute legal proceedings under the Act.
257 samples (251 formal and 6 informal) were obtained during the
year 1955; 5 formal and 2 informal samples were not satisfactory as
follows: —
(a) Gin (formal).—Contained only 64-6% proof spirit instead of
70% as stated on the label, and was also slightly below the standard
of 65% proof spirit laid down under the Act. Letters of warning were
sent to the licencee and to the brewers.
(b) Portions of bread roll (informal).—One portion contained a
small brownish-black foreign body and another portion showed a
small circular area stained a brownish black colour. Both were due
to caramelised glutinous starch matter. No action was taken in this
case.
(c) Orange Squash (formal).—Contained only 22% fruit juice
instead of a minimum of 25% as required by the Food Standard (Soft
Drinks) Order. A letter of warning was sent to the retailer,