Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington & Chelsea Borough]
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Unsound Food
Food Sampling
The practice continued during the year of taking formal samples
only in those cases where there was reason to believe a product was
well below the required standards, usually following an adverse
report on an informal sample.
1,106 informal samples were submitted for analysis, of which
89 were either adulterated or otherwise unsatisfactory. Fourteen
formal samples were also submitted for analysis, of which five were
either adulterated or otherwise unsatisfactory. In the case of one
of the formal samples, legal proceedings were authorised, details of
which are given at the end of this section of the Report. The
remaining five formal samples were dealt with satisfactorily on an
informal basis.
The results of all unsatisfactory samples were brought to the
notice of the producers, manufacturers or vendors as appropriate.
Complaints
During the year, 149 complaints were received from members of
the public alleging the unsatisfactory condition of food purchased by
them in the borough. The complaints generally related to the presence
of foreign matter in foods, and the unsatisfactory condition of meat,
fish, sausage, pies, fruit, bread, sweets, cakes, milk, cheese, wine,
vegetables, yoghurt, fish, soft drinks, poultry, eggs, jam and soup.
Of these complaints, seven cases resulted in the Health Committee
instructing that legal proceedings be instituted. The remaining one
hundred and forty-two cases were dealt with informally, either owing
to the lack of sufficient evidence, or to the complaint not being
substantiated.
Surrender During the year, the following amounts of food were surrendered and condemned as unfit for human consumption:-
Commodity | Weight (in lbs.) |
---|---|
Offal | 69 |
Meat (raw) | 1,500 |
Cooked meat and meat products | 1,759 |
Canned meats | 252 |
Other canned foods | 6,496 |
Frozen foods | 23,520 |
Other foods | 3,024 |
TOTAL | 36,620 |
All food condemned as unfit for human consumption is collected
by the Council, taken to the refuse destructor in Fulham, and
destroyed.