Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Fulham Borough]
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56
POOD HYGIENE REGULATIONS 1955
Following the close of the Clean Food Campaign towards the end of March, the
remainder of the year was taken up in the steady implementation of the Regulations to
all food premises At the end of the year most premises were complying with the
Regulations so far as these related to facilities and equipment and the major problem
became the personal factor of the employees Although the thoughtful food handler was
eager and willing to co operate, in some cases the provision of the most modern
equipment failed to instil a sense of responsibility into the employee, and one was
compelled to admit that some food handlers were being asked to display a higher
standard of hygiene in their daily work than seemed likely they observed in their own
homes
Clearly discernible in general trends was the higher standard of hygiene the
general public were coming to expect in food premises and this often unspoken expectation
can be as potent a factor as any set of regulations.
The general high standard of industrial canteens indicates that industrialists and
their managerial staffs are aware of the strict routines necessary if the large scale
provision of meals is to be adequately safeguarded against the spread of pathogenic
organisms.
The North End Road Market remained a far from solved problem but here again, the
knowledge that there are such things as Pood Hygiene Regulations; and their import,
began to come more easily to the minds of the traders This may have been due to
steady, polite requests to do this or that or not to do this or that. No prosecutions
under the Regulations were instituted during the year, the accent throughout being on
education.
REPORT OF THE COUNCIL ANALYST- THOMAS McLACHLAN
During the year 1957 800 samples of food and drugs were examined Of these 687
were taken formally and 113 informally.
The number adulterated or about which some comment was made was 54 The incidence of adulteration may be classified as follows:-
| Number of samples examined | Number of samples adulterated | |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | 179 | 2 |
| Other foods | 594 | 48 |
| Drugs | 27 | 4 |
One sample of milk contained less than 8.5 per cent namely 8.36 per cent of milk
solids not fat and therefore contained not less than 1.6 per cent of added water The
freezing point- 0.524°C. indicated the presence of 2.6 per cent of added water.
Another sample of milk contained only 3.09 per cent of fat and 8.46 per cent of solids
not fat In this case the freezing point- 0.522°C. indicated an added water content
of 3 per cent. even though the solids not fat figure almost complied with the require
ments of the Sale of Milk Regulations.
Some condensed skimmed milk was reported as inferior because it was a very dark
colour In a recent High Court case it was agreed that a dark colour militates
against the acceptance of condensed milk as being satisfactory to the housewife. A
dark colour generally means that it is either old stock or has been badly prepared.