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

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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London

Fulham 1952

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Fulham Borough]

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(56)
FOOD AND DRUGS ACTS. 1938 - 1950.
During the year under review 800 samples of food and drugs purchased
by the Sampling Officer were submitted to the Council's Public Analyst for
chemical analysis.
The samples, which are taken under the various Acts, Orders and
Regulations relating to foodstuffs, are divided into two classes, viz:-
(a) formal samples, or those in the purchase of which the legal
procedure laid down in the Food and Drugs Act 1938, relating
to declaration of identity, division into three parts,
sealing etc. of the sample is carried out. In these cases
legal proceedings can be instituted when the. samples are
certified to be adulterated. 765 samples were taken formally,
(b) Informal samples, which are samples purchased without carrying
out the legal formalities and merely serve to indicate
the conditions obtaining without disclosing to the vendor
the object of the purchase. 34 samples were taken informally.
One sample was submitted by a private individual.
Adverse reports were received from the Public Analyst on 44 of the
samples examined, none of which justified the institution of legal proceedings
.

Table: The following are details of the 44 articles which were reported to be not in accordance with accepted standards and the action taken:-

The following are details of the 44 articles which were reported to be not in accordance with accepted standards and the action taken:-

Sample No:ArticleResult of AnalysisAction taken
34Ground AlmondsContained free fatty acids calculated as oleic acid 18.1%Matter brought to notice of packers and wholesalers.
50SemolinaToo fine. 78.5% passed 40 mesh sieve. Not more than 40% should pass 40 mesh sieve.No action.
76Butter CrunchContained 0.429% fat. Not more than 25% of fat present was butter fat, therefore term butter should not be used.Informal sample. See Sample No.110.