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All food condemned as unfit for human consumption is collected
by the Council, taken to their refuse destructor in Wood Lane and destroyed.
In no instance were large quantities of food involved, necessitating
special examination of stocks of food.
Damaged foodstuffs
In March, 1957.a large water main burst in a roadway in
Kensington. Three foodshops were flooded, one badly, and a large amount of
food was rendered unsaleable and unfit for human consumption and had to be
destroyed. A summary of the damaged food is as follows :-
Food Cwt. Qtrs. Lb.
Dried fruits, etc. - 2 19
Cooking fats and butter - 3 2
Cheese - 1 2
Syrups and sugar 1 1 19
Flour, custard powder, etc. - 2 13
Tea, coffee and cocoa - 1 11
Nuts, various - 1 10
Fruit - 2 15
Vegetables 6 - 6
Soup powders and mixes - 1 23
Jams, various - 1 12
TOTAL 11 3 20
Tins, packets and cartons of various foodstuffs 257
Pickles and sauces 1 gallon
Complaints by purchasers of unfit food
During the year eighteen complaints were received from members
of the public who alleged the unsatisfactory condition of food purchased
by them. The complaints generally related to the presence of foreign
matter in foods, mouldy condition of meat pies, bread and cakes, and the
unsatisfactory condition of chicken, cream, meat, butter and lemonade.
In two of the cases it was decided to take legal proceedings.
One was in respect of pork pies found to be mouldy. The vendor pleaded
guilty and was fined £2. Os. Odo with £2. 2s. Od. costs. The other case
was in respect of a malt loaf in which was found embedded the remains of
a cockroach. The vendor pleaded guilty and was fined £5. Os. Od. with
£2. 2s. Od. costs.
In four further cases concerned with the presence of brick dust
in a loaf of bread, brush bristles in a loaf of bread, a wrapped malt
currant loaf which was mouldy and a Danish pastry in which was found
embedded a piece of wire, the Public Health Committee decided to send
warnings to the manufacturers.
The remaining twelve complaints were dealt with by informal action
either owing to lack of detailed evidence or to the complaint not being
substantiated.
Adulteration of Pood
During the year five hundred and eighty-three formal samples of