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Under section 183 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, power is given to the London
county council to make by-laws for promoting sanitary and cleanly conditions in the manufacture,
preparation, storage, transport, and exposure for sale of any article intended to be sold for human
consumption. By-laws made under this power have been in operation since the 1st January, 1937.
Inspection of Food Premises.—In addition to the premises dealt with above, other places in
the borough where food is prepared or exposed for sale are required to be kept in accordance with
the provisions of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, which re-enacts similar provisions formerly
contained in the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1908. There were, in addition to
the inspection of dairies, etc., mentioned above, 4,153 inspections of food premises during the year.
Merchandise Marks Acts, 1887-1926. —Under section 2 of the Act of 1926, Orders in Council
may be made prohibiting the sale or exposure for sale in the United Kingdom of imported goods
specified, unless such goods bear an indication of origin. Orders which have so far been made in
regard to imported foodstuffs relate to honey, fresh apples, currants, sultanas, raisins, eggs in shell,
dried eggs, oat products, raw tomatoes, frozen and chilled salmon and sea trout, butter, bacon,
ham, poultry, chilled beef, frozen mutton and pork, malt products, maize, starch, salt, boneless
beef and veal, salted beef and pork, and edible offals.
Frequent inspections were made throughout the year to ensure that the requirements of these
orders were observed. In several instances imported tomatoes exposed for sale were not properly
marked and cautions were given in respect of these infringements.
Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act, 1928.—This act empowers the Minister of
Agriculture and Fisheries to make orders for the grading and marking of agricultural produce of
England and Wales. A series of regulations has been made by the Minister under the act, and
these provide grade designations to indicate specific standard qualities of the various foodstuffs
mentioned, but it is not compulsory for all such foodstuffs to be so marked. When, however, the
goods are marked, they must conform to the standards laid down in the regulations. Special provisions
are contained in the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) (Eggs) Regulations, which provide
for the marking of eggs which have been preserved by immersion in lime-water, water-glass or oil.
Frequent inspections were made in 193" but no offences were observed.
Artificial Cream Act, 1929.—This act has for its object the regulation of the manufacture and
sale of artificial cream.
The council are required to keep a register of all premises where artificial cream is manufactured,
sold, exposed or kept for sale. Two sets of premises appeared in the register at the commencement
of the year, and none was added during the year. In neither place, however, is artificial cream being
made at the present time.
Unsound Food.—Under the provisions of section 180 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936,
authorised officers of the council are empowered to seize and carry before a magistrate any diseased,
or unsound, or unwholesome food deposited for sale or exposed for sale, and the magistrate before
whom such food is carried may make an order for its destruction. Proceedings may be taken
against the persons in whose possession the food was at the time of seizure.
It was not found necessary to take any legal action under this section during 1937.
Under the provisions of subsection 8 of section 180 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936,
any persons having in their possession food intended for sale which is diseased or unsound, or unfit
for human consumption, may surrender it to the council for destruction as trade refuse. The
unsound food surrendered and destroyed during the year is shown in the following list :—
Bacon (lbs.) 19 Meat, canned (tins) 26
Beef (lbs.) 74 Milk, canned (tins) 8
Caviare (jars) 16 Pigeons 40
Fish, canned (tins) 15 Tomatoes (boxes) 40
Fruit, canned (tins) 567 Turkeys 3
Jam (jars) 6 Vegetables, canned (tins) 123
The Food and Drugs (Adulteration) Act, 1928.—The council's food inspector is the sampling
officer under the act, and he is instructed to take samples in any place within the borough. The
samples procured are of two kinds, namely, formal and informal.
(а) Formal Samples.—These are samples which are taken strictly in conformity with the
requirements of the Food and Drugs (Adulteration) Act, 1928, and during the year the food
inspector collected 681, of which 21 or 2.9 per cent. were adulterated.
(b) Informal Samples.—These are taken without compliance with the strict formalities of the
Food and Drugs (Adulteration) Act, 1928, and serve to show the conditions obtaining without
disclosing to the vendor the fact that the samples are being taken for analysis.