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Complaints by purchasers of unfit food
During the year twenty-six complaints were received from
members of the public that food they had purchased was in an
unsatisfactory condition The complaints related to the
presence of foreign matter in food, mouldy conditions of meat
pies, unsatisfactory condition of canned food, rum, beer and
quick-frozen peas.
All these cases were carefully investigated. In two cases
proceedings were authorised. The first related to the sale of
bread containing a large piece of muslin and resulted in the
vendors being fined £10. 0s. 0d. with £3. 3s. 0d. costs. The
second concerned the sale of bread containing a maggot, and in
this case the bakers were conditionally discharged (January,
1956), and the Council granted £5. 5s. 0d. costs.
In five cases warnings were given to manufacturers and
retailers. It was not possible to take further action in
thirteen of the remaining cases owing to either the lack of
detailed evidepce or to the results of chemical or bacteriological
examinations failing to confirm the alleged complaints. The
remaining six cases concerned food prepared outside Kensington
and particulars were sent to the appropriate local authorities.
One complaint deserves special comment. Some quick-frozen
peas, after being cooked in margarine, became luminous. This
condition was confirmed both by visual examination in the dark
and by laboratory examination. The packers were anxious to
co-operate with the department and carried out a series of
experiments over a period of several months in an effort to
reproduce this condition. Samples of peas were prepared in a
similar fashion to that adopted by the complainant, whilst
others were inoculated with luminous bacteria obtained from the
Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. The peas
were kept at varying temperatures in a cupboard and examined at
various periods up to seven days. All experiments were
unsuccessful in producing "luminous peas" and the investigations
were abandoned.
Adulteration of Food
During the year five hundred and sixty-three formal samples of
food and drugs were purchased, of which twenty-nine (5.1%) were
either adulterated or otherwise unsatisfactory. Pour hundred and
forty informal samples were also purchased, of which twelve (2.7%)
were either adulterated or otherwise unsatisfactory. The
following table summarises the action taken in respect of the
defective samples:-