London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Kensington 1960
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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70
Bacteriological Examinations of Prawns and other similar sea-foods
During the year an investigation was carried out in regard
to the bacteriological standard of various sea foods exposed for
sale in the large stores, fishmongers and delicatessen shops in
the borough. Fifty-eight samples were obtained, most of which
were prawns, and submitted to examination by the Public Health
Laboratory Service.
There is no national bacteriological standard for these
types of foods but, in the case of imported prawns, the Public
Health Laboratory Service and the Medical Committee of the
Association of Sea and Air-port Health Authorities decided, pending
the establishment of an official standard, that prawns should comply
with a two-day 37° plate count of not more than 250,000 per gram.
The following table shows the total count of the 58 samples examined:-
| Sample | Total Viable Count per gram | Total Samples | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50,000 | +50,000/200,000 | +200,000/ 250,000 | +250,000 | |||||||
| Prawns | 17 | 14 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 37 | 21 |
| Total | 31 | 14 | 6 | 7 | 58 | |||||
Examinations were also made in respect of Bacteria Coli, the results being as follows:-
| Present in 1 20 gms. | 35 |
| Present in under 1 gm. | 7 |
| Absent | |
| Total | 58 |
With reference to the 7 samples showing a viable count
above 250,000 per grm. the Bacteriologist felt that, taking into
account delays in transport and retail and the known inaccuracies
of the viable count, it was not regarded as serious. It was
considered that the overall results were encouraging and that the
general standard seemed to be good.
General
There are no abattoirs or slaughterhouses in the
borough, and no killing of animals for human consumption is
carried out.