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Certification of Meat Food Products.
The Medical Officer of Health as Designated Officer for Food
Inspection issued 24 certificates during 1936 in respect of foods
prepared in the Borough for export to America and Australia.
Ice Cream.
The commodity known as "Ice Cream" includes:—
(а) "Water ice" containing little more than water, sugar and a flavouring
agent.
(б) Custard ice made from corn-flower or other starchy constituent,
(c) Cream ice in which milk fat forms one of the main ingredients.
The number of premises other than hotels, clubs and restaurants
used for the manufacture, storage and sale of ice cream entered on
the register at the end of 1936 was as follows:—
Storage 1
Manufacture and storage Nil
Manufacture and sale 218
Manufacture, storage and sale 20
Storage and sale 132
Sale 16
The usual strict surveillance of these premises, especially small
shops, was carried out during the year, and a copy of the following
memorandum on the prevention of contamination of ice cream was
issued to all manufacturers and vendors of this article of food. The
food inspector made 539 inspections of these premises.
Enquiries as to the conditions under which this commodity
was made were instituted of the Medical Officers of Health concerned
in cases where ice cream sold in this Borough was manufactured
elsewhere.
To Manufacturers and Vendors of Ice Cream.
ICE CREAM.
Prevention of Contamination.
It is not generally known that ice cream like milk forms a most favourable
breeding ground for germs, many of which give rise to disease and sometimes fatal
epidemics. These germs or bacteria gain access to the "mix" and to the ice
cream product through contact with unclean hands, through the medium of spray
from the coughing or sneezing of workers, through dirty plant and equipment
and through dust and dirt from unclean surroundings.
Samples of ice cream submitted to the Borough Bacteriologist in recent years
have given a very high bacterial count, implying that the ice cream is not of a
high standard of purity.
The following suggestions on the prevention of bacterial contamination are
submitted for your consideration and adoption to protect the health of the public.
1. Personal cleanliness and health of attendants. The hands and nails of
all attendants should be kept scrupulously clean. A clean white apron
should be worn by the person preparing this commodity. No one suffering
from sore throat, contagious disease or skin disease should engage in the
manufacture, storage or retailing of ice cream.