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49
therefore, no cause to be satisfied with the present level
of milk quality in England and Wales, and every reason for
taking steps to improve it.
The Working Party find that "much of the decline took
place during the war and was due to the feeding difficulties
then experienced. Neither a change in the breed distribution
of the national herd nor any deliberate policy of breeding
for quantity regardless of quality have been the main
causes of the decline. In seeking for a remedy, the Working
Party reject the suggestion of a fixed minimum legal
standard and of a higher presumptive standard. They also
feel unable to recommend the introduction of a scheme for
payment of milk on the basis of compositional quality. They
suggest that the best way to improve quality is through the
close co-operation of all parties concerned - the producers,
the distributors, the advisory services and the Research
Institutes, and they recommend that the Joint Milk Quality
Control Committee should implement a scheme involving the
buyer's farm inspector (if any), the National Agricultural
Advisory Service, the Milk Marketing Board and the Research
Institutes to deal with producers who consistently send milk
at or near the presumptive minimum standard."
Notwithstanding the findings of the Working Party and
their long term proposals for securing an improvement of
milk quality, the position is that, although the price of
milk has risen by 100% and even more in the case of farm
bottled milk, the public are receiving milk which, in an
increasing number of instances, is below the presumptive
standards for fat and solids-not-fat, yet can be shown to be
as produced by the cow. In these circumstances, no legal
action is possible. It is obviously desirable that action
should be taken to ensure an improvement in the quality of
milk, to foster a continued improvement in the future, and
for this purpose it seems desirable either to make it
unprofitable for the farmer to produce milk at poor quality
by means of a simple quality payment system, or to establish
an absolute standard under the Pood Standards Order, thus
making a definite procedure available to Pood and Drugs
Authorities in cases where milk fails to comply with these
standards.
In these circumstances, WE RECOMMEND that the attention
of the Metropolitan Boroughs' Standing Joint Committee should
be drawn to this position and that they should be asked to
consider the desirability of urging legislation designed
to improve the quality of the Nation's milk supply."
The Public Health Committee submitted the report to the
Council, who adopted the recommendation and took the necessary
action as indicated. The question of the quality of milk is
still under consideration.
Under Article 20 of the Milk and Dairies Regulations, 1949,
the Medical Officer of Health is empowered to prevent the sale
of milk in his area from any registered premises where he is
satisfied that any person is suffering from disease caused by
consumption of the milk, or that the milk is infected with
disease communicable to man. There was no occasion during
the year where the exercise of these powers was necessary.
Adulteration of Food
During the year four hundred and ninety-seven formal samples
of food and drugs were taken, of which twenty-four (4.82%)
were adulterated. Five hundred and six informal samples were
taken, of which fifteen (2.96%) were adulterated.