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 1955
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Fulham Borough]
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above 28°F, the ice cream must be subject to further heat treatment and again kept at a
temperature not exceeding 28'F The Methylene blue test is recommended as a guide for
ascertaining the bacteriological cleanliness of ice cream, the time taken to decolourise
Methylene blue being recorded and the samples graded as follows:-
Provisional Grade Time taken to reduce Methylene Blue.
1 4½ hours or more.
2 2½ to 4 hours.
3 ½ to 2 hours.
4 Less than ½ hour.
During 1955, 69 samples of ice cream were examined and graded as follows:-
| Grade | Wrapped | Taken from Bulk | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23 | 33 | 56 |
| 2 | – | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | 10 | 1 | 11 |
| 4 | – | – | – |
| Totals | 33 | 36 | 69 |
In addition to the above 34 iced lollies were examined, 33 of which satisfied Grade I
and one Grade 2.
Samples falling within Grades 1 and 2 are regarded as satisfactory, whilst Grades 3 and
4 indicate carelessness in hygiene at some stage in the manufacture, handling or storage of
the ice cream. It is the practice in Fulham to investigate fully when samples fall within
the latter grades. It is satisfactory to note that no samples fell below Grade 3.
THE FOOD STANDARDS (ICE CREAM) ORDER, 1953 This Order lays down the following standards for Ice cream:-
| Fat | 5% |
| Sugar | 10% |
| Milk solids other than fat | 7.5% |
During 1955, 27 samples of ice cream were purchased for chemical analysis by the Public Analyst all of which were reported to be genuine, a summary of the results being:-
| Percentage of fat | No. of Samples |
|---|---|
| Less than 5% | – |
| 5%-7½% | 9 |
| 10% | 14 |
| Over 10% | 4 |
The average fat content of all samples was 8.72 per cent.
FOOD AND DRUGS ACT, 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
were taken under the various Acts, Orders and Regulations relating to foodstuffs.
The Public Analyst reported adversely on 33 of the samples examined, representing 4.1%
of samples examined.
One sample of pork sausages (No 14) was reported to be 14 per cent deficient in meat,
the meat content being 56 per cent against the accepted standard of 65 per cent Legal
Proceedings were instituted and the two partners in the firm by whom the sausages were
manufactured were each fined thirty shillings.