London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Chelsea 1962

Annual report of the Medical Officer of Health for the year 1962

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- 54 -
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC ANALYST
for the year ended 31st December, 1962.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of
the Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea.
Your Worship, Ladies and Gentlemen,
During the year 1962, 330 samples of food, of which 108 samples
of milk and 222 samples of food other than milk were submitted for
examination. 325 samples were taken informally and 5 samples formally.

Adverse comments were made against 18 samples and the incidence of adulteration or incorrect labelling may be classified as follows:-

Number of samples examinedNumber of samples adulterated, etc.
Milk108-
Other Foods22218

Two milk bottles were submitted for examination. One contained a
milk bottle cap which had been pushed inside the bottle. The bottle had
been washed in the washing machine and the milk was satisfactory both
microbiologically and chemically, though naturally unsightly. The other
bottle contained a residue due to micro-organisms. In this case the
complainant stated that she had washed the bottle repeatedly and, therefore,
your analyst could do nothing further in the matter, for it was impossible
to state who had introduced the bacteria.
Some butter contained l6.4 per cent of water and, as the maximum
permitted quantity is 16 per cent, it contained 2.6 per cent excess water.
The manufacturers stated that this was an unusual case probably due to
the fact that in blended butters the moisture content varies to some extent
due to uneven distribution. Your analyst is of the opinion that the real
trouble is due to the fact that manufacturers are endeavouring to work to
the legal limit of 16 per cent and occasionally exceed it.
Several complaints were received regarding bread. A sliced loaf
contained some burnt farinaceous matter, probably from baking tins or
trays. The first interior slice of a sliced brown loaf was mouldy. The
bakery concerned thought the loaf was probably three days old when the
mould was first showing, but it could have been less than this if the bread
had been kept in a warm place. The remainder was satisfactory. A piece
of adherent matter on a bread roll, thought to be chewing gum, was in
reality a piece of plaster of Paris, probably from the ceiling or wall of
the bakery, which must have fallen on the roll while on the travelling belt
during manufacture and before baking. That the plaster was on the roll
before it was baked was proved by the fact that the glazing mixture had run
over the top of, and underneath the roll, enclosing part of the plaster
between the bread and the layer of dried glazing film. Half a bread roll