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FOOD HYGIENE
The improvement of Food Hygiene standards is a task earnestly
pursued by the Council's officers, and the implementation of the Food
Hygiene Regulations, 1955? has undoubtedly brought about an advance
in the general standard of food handling in association with hygienic
conditions in premises used for food preparation and disposal,.
There are approximately four hundred and fifty businesses concerned
with the preparation and/or sale of food located in this Borough, and
they are subjected to constant inspection to ensure that the said
Regulations are adhered to„ Briefly this legislation requires that
(1) Food premises, stalls, etc,,, are to be maintained
in a cleanly condition, a need which, of course,
covers apparatus and equipment;
(2) Food must at all times be hygienically handled;
(3) Persons employed in trades dealing with foodstuffs
must be cleanly clothed. Should it be found that
any of them are sufferers from or carriers of
certain infections, immediate action will be taken
to remove them from such.duties until they are
pronounced fit to resume their occupationsg and
(4) The construction of food premises, the repair and
maintenance of food premises,, stalls, vehicles;, etc,,,
and the facilities to be provided; shall be of a
consistently high standard,,
In general, traders have been quick to co-operate with the Council;
officers, and conditions ruling are very satisfactory,, Operators of
food premises appreciate the advantage of providing a service which is
both clean and attractive,,
A duty also rests upon consumers, and they should, without hesitation,
remonstrate when they meet with an assistant who is smoking, has dirty
or nicotine-stained hands, or possesses the objectionable habit of
licking his fingers when wrapping up their purchases„ If improvement
is not apparent, the circumstances should be brought to the attention of
the local health authority, for it is in the interests of the community
as a whole that such breaches of hygiene should be reported,. Similar
action should be taken when departures from recognised hygienic practices
are observed in restaurants, cafes, ets„ Public-spirited action in
these respects will definitely result in the decreased incidence of foodpoisoning
which is a matter of much concern,, On the other hand, the general
public should play their part by refraining from coughing or sneezing,
or smoking, over food displayed on counters, whilst they should certainly
cease to take dogs into shops with them when making purchases.