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Preserved Food Premises
Section 16 (l) (b) of the Food and Drugs Act, 1955, provides for
the registration of premises used for the preparation or manufacture
of sausages or potted, pressed, pickled or preserved food intended for
sale. 32 premises were registered at the end of the year.
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS - FOOD AND DRUGS ACT, 1955UNSATISFACTORY
PURCHASES.
During 1962, twelve complaints were brought to the attention of
the Public Health Department concerning the sale of the undermentioned
foodstuffs which were not of a satisfactory nature:-
(a) Sale of mouldy crumpets.
(b) Excess water content of a sample of pure English butter.
(c) Portion of a small beetle adherent to the outer crust of
a bread roll.
(d) Sale of mouldy and sour steakburgers.
(e) Presence of a piece of parchment paper with Chinese
writing thereon in a bottle of milk.
(f) Complaint alleging the presence of a strip of adhesive
plaster in a fresh salad.
(g) Sale of almond ring contaminated with mice droppings.
(h) Sale of mouldy sliced brown loaf.
(i) Presence of a bottle cap in a bottle of milk.
(j) Sale of bread roll with foreign matter adhering to base.
(k) Sale of packet of Crispbread infested with
maggots.
(l) Sale of mouldy pork pie.
All the aforementioned adulterations were thoroughly investigated
and reported to the Public Health and Baths Committee. In case (b),
the excess water content was very small and the Committee decided to take
no action, and in regard to case (f), as the complainant was unable to
produce any evidence to substantiate his complaint no further action
could be taken in the matter.
In cases (a) (c) (d) (h) (i) (j) (k) and (l), legal difficulties
or mitigating circumstances negatived the institution of legal proceedings
and warning letters were sent to the firms concerned.
Concerning case (e), the Committee authorised the institution of
legal proceedings and the defendant Company pleaded guilty to the offence.
A fine of £2. 0s. 0d. was imposed with costs totalling £2. 2s. 0d.
With reference to case (g), the Committee were prepared to resort
to legal action having regard to the gravity of the offence but, in view
of the fact that the Hammersmith Borough Council, within whose area the
bakery is situate, had previously intimated that they were instituting
legal proceedings against the firm for allowing a mice infestation on
the bakery premises, it was decided not to recommend any further proceedings.
As a result of the action taken by the Public Health Committee of the
Hammersmith Borough Council, the defendants were fined £10. 0. 0d. with costs
totalling £5. 5s. 0d.