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 1962
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Fulham Borough]
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57
BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF FOODSTUFFS
Cream filled confectionery is an excellent medium for the growth of bacteria and thus the
transmission of illness and because of this, routine sampling takes place of the filling at the
bakeries and of the completed confectionery as exposed for sale in the shops.
Samples are examined for the presence of faecal coliform bacilli and staphylococcus aureus.
The re*
from a local bakery and staff and equipment were inspected es a source of possible contamination.
Staphylococcus Aureus was traced to a workman whom his employer released from work in order
to obtain remedial treatment from his doctor. Subsequent samples proved satisfactory.
The following table sets out the re suits
B. Coli (non faecal) present 136
B. Coli (faeca) present
Staphylococcus aureus positive 6
Staphylococcus aureus negative 130
FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS
Regular inspections were carried out during the year. In no case was it found necessary to institute legal proceedings.
| Type of Business | No. of premises | No. of Inspections |
|---|---|---|
| Bakehouses (non-basement) | 28 ) | 59 |
| Bakehouses (basement) | 2 ) | |
| Bread and Cake shops | 12 | 188 |
| Butchers' shops | 69 | 372 |
| Confectionery | 78 | - |
| Cooked Meat Shops | 15 | 86 |
| Milk distributors | 125 | 95 |
| Eel and Pie shops | 3 | 8 |
| Food Factories | 7 | 126 |
| Fishmongers' shops | 24 | 67 |
| Fried Fish shops | 25 | 35 |
| General Food shops | 229 | 676 |
| Greengrocers and Fruiterers | 110 | 129 |
| Ice Cream (Manufacturers and Dealers) | 234 | 189 |
| Licensed Premises | 106 | 160 |
| Restaurants and Dining rooms | 142 | 626 |
| Stalls | 102 | 240 |
| Stallholders' Storage premises | 47 | 33 |
| Other Food premises | 12 | 214 |
Under the provisions of Section 16 of the Food and Drugs Act, 1955, parts of premises used
for the preparation of certain specified articles of food must be registered with the local authority.
FOOD HYGIENE (GENERAL) REGULATIONS, 1960
The ever increasing tendency to the sale of prepacked food-stuffs is excellent from the
food hygiene standpoint. It means that if conditions of production are satisfactory, a hygienically
sound article reaches the home of the consumer - a feat which is the goal of all regulations
concerned with food handling.
Again, the constantly reducing number and increasing size of food production units usuallybat
initially not always - results in more modern and more hygienic methods of food production and
handling. However, whether in food factory, cafe kitchen or foodshop, cleanly personal habits
need to be pursued at all times. It is this personal element that can so often be the cause of
needless trouble.