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-37-
(f) Ice-Cream
During the year, 27 applications for registration for the sale of
ice-cream were approved. Three applications were refused on the
grounds that other articles were being sold or handled in the shop
which would increase the danger of contamination of the ice-cream and
it was not possible or not practicable to place partitions in the
shop or to use other means of avoiding this danger. The type of
trade which commonly causes this difficulty is that of greengrocer
where the handling of root vegetables unavoidably causes dirt and
dust, and this is particularly so where a single shop assistant
necessarily handles both commodities.
At the end of the year there were 151 premises in the Borough
registered for the sale of ice-cream and 369 inspections of these
premises were made during the year. In 16 instances notices were
served concerning insanitary conditions.
66 samples of ice-cream were submitted to the Methylene Blue test
and graded as follows
Grade 1 20
Grade 2 21
Grade 3 7
Grade 4 18
(g) Food Poisoning
There were no outbreaks of food poisoning during the year. 6
(corrected) notifications were received, the Illness alleged to be due
In one case to the consumption of a meat pie, a portion of which was
submitted for bacteriological examination and reported satisfactory.
In one case Salmonella typhi-murium was identified and in five cases
the cause was unknown. There were no deaths.
(h) Clean Food Campaign
The efforts of the Department for an Improved standard of hygiene
in all matters relating to the manufacture, handling, storage and
distribution of food have continued throughout the year. Practically
all the food premises in the Borough were visited and although it was
necessary on 20 occasions to send notices under Section 13 of the
Food and Drugs Act, 1938, it was possible through the co-operative
relationship between the occupiers and the Department to secure many
desirable improvements without recourse to official action.