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Approaching the problem of disposal realistically and bearing in mind the paucity of direct
evidence incriminating coconut as a significant source of food poisoning during the many years
it must have been imported in a contaminated condition, I considered it reasonable to offer release
for manufacturing purposes only, provided the contaminating organisms were not Salmonella
Paratyphi-B, Salmonella Thompson or Salmonella Typhimurium, and that the medical officer of
health of the area in which the factory was situate satisfied himself that the danger of crosscontamination
was negligible, the heat treatment applied by the process was sufficient to effect
sterilization, and that it would be used under his supervision.
Only one firm accepted these conditions and having done so, they carried out continuous
sampling of the finished product. Not one Salmonella-positive report was received from this
sampling.
Desiccated coconut contaminated with any of the three Salmonella types mentioned was
surrendered by the owners to form a stock of known contaminated material available for laboratory
experimental purposes, or was destroyed.
In Ceylon certain mills were selected for modernisation and operation under conditions
designed to exclude as far as possible the risk of contamination arising within the mill itself
during the various processes, the output being separately packed.
Examination of specially marked shipments from these mills indicated that the pilot scheme
had justified itself, and extension generally of the measures taken in those mills might have no
small bearing upon the solution of the problem of contamination.
Draft regulations designed to control the milling,transport, packing and export of desiccated
coconut were issued by the Ceylon Government. Provision was made for registration of mills
conforming to the standard required, and the registration of shippers who must agree to ship their
coconut on an Export Licence obtained from the Ceylon Coconut Board, their supplies being
derived only from registered mills.
A laboratory is being set up to work in close association with the Medical Research Institute
in Colombo for the examination of samples drawn from the mills, adverse reports upon which will
render the miller liable to refusal of an Export Licence for a definite period.
It is anticipated that the Regulations will come into force not later than 1st June, 1961.

6.9% of samples found to be Salmonella contaminated on 5% examination.
6.6% of samples of known contaminated shipments found to be Salmonella contaminated on
10% examination.
Although percentage sampling is not an ideal method of assessment, it is interesting to
record that in two instances importers requested 100% examination at their own expense with the
following results:—
5% and 10% sampling of 380 bags comprising Shipment A gave a contamination rate of
8.8%, and 100% sampling of the shipment gave a rate of 8.9%.
5% and 10% sampling of 482 bags comprising Shipment B gave a contamination rate of
8.3%, and 100% sampling of the shipment gave a rate of 12.2%.
IMPORTATION OF FROZEN PRAWNS
As a result of the unavoidable necessity for cold storage of this import pending receipt of
bacteriological reports for periods upwards of a week, it has been found to be more convenient
to the trade to allow all shipments destined for up-river wharves to proceed in bond and unexamined
to their destination where clearance and sampling formalities are carried out.
Only those shipments cleared by EI.M. Customs in the docks and usually for a destination
outside the dock area, are sampled by Port Health Inspectors and allowed to go forward to their
destination under detention and into the jurisdiction of the local Medical Officer of Health pending
receipt of the bacteriological reports.
For this reason the bulk of sampling so far as the Port and City of London are concerned is
carried out by the City of London Inspectors and for convenience a more detailed report appears
in my Annual Report for the City of London.
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