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IMPORTED FROZEN PRAWNS
In September 1959 a sample taken by the Port Health Authority
from a consignment of imported frozen prawns destined for a
Bermondsey Cold Store was found to contain Salmonella infantis.
Arrangements were therefore made to sample all subsequent
consignments of this commodity entering the borough and, to
obviate the risk of contamination at the Port, it was agreed that all
consignments be allowed to proceed direct to Cold Stores in
Bermondsey before sampling.
The following method of sampling was decided upon:
One half per cent to be taken of consignments up to 200
packages. A proportionately lower percentage of consignments
in excess of 200 packages.
In the absence of a national bacteriological standard for
imported prawns, it was decided at a meeting of the Food Investigation
Committee in October that the following provisional standard
could be applied:
1. Salmonella absent from 50 grams.
2. Plate count less than 250,000 in 80% of samples (2 days
at 37°C) and less than 2,000,000 in all samples.
3. Faecal coli absent in 0.1 gram in 80% of samples and
absent in 0.01 gram in all samples.
In November a meeting was held at the Guildhall of all interested
parties and it was agreed to adopt the following course of
action consequent upon sampling:—
Plate Count at 37°C:
250,000 Release
250,000-2,000,000 Further examination as to organisms
present and importers to be
warned. Staphylococcus aureus
not to exceed 10,000 per gram.
2,000,000+ Condemn irrespective of organisms present.
If further examination showed bad results, destruction
agreed. Re-export not to be allowed, but destruction
included release for animal feeding in this country.
This standard was to apply to all imported prawns irrespective
of origin.
I consider this standard reasonable but thought that, in addition,