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Bakehouses.— There are 21 bakehouses in the Borough and 144 visits of inspection were made
during the year.
Slaughterhouses, etc.— There is no public abattoir or private slaughterhouse operating in the
Borough. There is one licensed knacker's yard and the humane killer is used on all animals slaughtered
there. During the year, three visits of inspection were made.
Slaughter of Animals Act, 1933.— During the year, four applications for a licence as a slaughterman
were granted.
Inspection of Meat and Other Foods.— There are in the Borough 160 catering establishments,
21 bakeries, 72 butchers' shops, 32 fish shops, 9 milk depots and 365 other retail food premises subject to
inspection and supervision. During the year, inspections of food were carried out as follows :—meat,
876; fish, 190; provisions, 508; vegetables and fruit, 170; foodstuffs on hawkers' vehicles or stalls, 174;
and other foods, 482.
During the year, 8,071 lbs. and 5,588 tins, etc., of unsound food were seized by or surrendered
to the Sanitary Inspectors at retail premises. The following foods were brought to the Department
because the purchasers were not satisfied of their fitness for human consumption :—bread, three; flour,
one; soup, one; cooking fat, one; meat and meat products, six; bacon, one; fruit, one; confectionery,
two; and cordial, one. One of these items was sent for analysis and found to be satisfactory. In six
cases foreign bodies were found to be present and in four cases the foodstuffs were found to be unsound.
Warnings were issued in nine cases and proceedings in the other case resulted in an unconditional
discharge with ten guineas costs. In the remaining cases no cause for any action was found.
Premises used for "the preparation or manufacture of sausages or potted, pressed, pickled or
preserved food for sale" are required under the Food and Drugs Act, 1938, to be registered, and at the
end of the year, 95 such premises were registered.
Under Section 11 of the Middlesex County Council Act, 1950, hawkers of food and their storage
premises require to be registered. At the end of the year, 76 hawkers were on the register.
Municipal Restaurants and School Canteens.— There is no municipal restaurant in the
Borough, but during the year the 20 school canteens provided 1,291,643 meals.
The school dinner is designed to provide about one-third of the child's daily protein requirement,
together with a due proportion of other foods. Parents should not depend too much on the school
dinner, and other meals at home should be adequate and varied.
A detailed inspection of all kitchens, sculleries, stores, etc., in connection with the school meals
service was carried out and reports and recommendations submitted. A talk on kitchen hygiene and
food poisonine was given to the school canteen staff.