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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.
Informal samples totalling 1,101 were submitted for analysis, of which 136 were
either adulterated or otherwise unsatisfactory. Nineteen formal samples were also submitted
for analysis, of which fifteen 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, 204 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, spirits,
vegetables, yoghurt, soft drinks, poultry, eggs, jam, soup, tea, flour, cream, biscuits,
ice-cream, margarine, sugar, sandwiches, etc.
Of these complaints, legal proceedings were authorised in respect of nineteen cases
and warning letters were sent in two instances. The remaining 183 cases were dealt with
informally, either owing to lack of sufficient evidence, or to the complaint not being
substantiated.