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Clean Food Campaign
The London County Council's Byelaws for the protection
of food came into force on the 3rd November, 1952, and with a
view to securing the maximum co-operation of food traders in
the borough, the Medical Officer of Health and the Chief
Sanitary Inspector met representatives of various groups of
traders to discuss the implications of the Byelaws on their
particular trades.
An exchange of views resulted in agreement on a number
of points which were ultimately incorporated in a list of
practical suggestions sent, together with copies of the Byelaws
and explanatory notes on specific matters, to all food traders
in the borough. The explanatory notes dealt with food
handling and disease and the protection of food at all stages
from contamination.
The Council's Sanitary Inspectors undertook special
inspections with the object of discussing individual problems
with the traders and offering suggestions for securing
compliance with the Byelaws.
In view of the educational and co-operative character of
the work, the service of notices was avoided but as an
alternative, informal letters incorporating the suggestions
of the inspector were sent where appropriate.
One thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine inspections
were made for this specific purpose and two hundred and eightythree
letters of the type referred to were sent. In a large
number of cases, however, the immediate response of the traders
to the suggestions offered, rendered unnecessary any further
action.
Particular attention was given to the protection of food
from contamination by the public and the provision of glass
screens to counters was encouraged. In one multiple chain
store, foods displayed in the cafeteria were entirely enclosed