View report page

40
to make a claim on their suppliers for financial re-imbursement and/or
for replacement of controlled commodities. At times there is even
a desire to surrender food which though perhaps unsaleable is not
unfit for human consumption.
The headquarters of certain multiple stores are in this Borough
and often unfit food from many of the branches is returned before
official attention is called to its condition. For this reason the
amount of canned goods surrendered is greater than it would otherwise
be.
Several complaints were received from customers that food
purchased was unwholesome. In most cases the complaint was
not regarded as serious or did not evidence any carelessness or
negligence by the vendor, and was dealt with by the issue of a warning
letter. In one case proceedings were instituted against a firm
in respect of grease found in a loaf of bread. It was thought that
this had occurred through failure to clean tubes through which
air was blown upon the dough. The firm pleaded guilty and the
case was dismissed with no order as to costs.
Shortly before Christmas information was received that part of
a consignment of Silver Balls for cake decoration had arrived in
the Borough from a foreign country and that chromium had been
used in their manufacture instead of silver. As it was thought
there might be some danger of poisoning further distribution was
stopped and very few reached the Public.
On 31st March, Fabon, which had been responsible during
the war period for the collection of unsound meat and other food,
was disbanded. The collection was then resumed by the Smithfield
Animal Products, Ltd., Court Farm, Stanwell, Middlesex,
who before the war were under contract with the Council for the
purpose. By this contract a residual value is paid to the Council
for certain foodstuffs collected and this amount less 7½ per cent.
to cover administrative costs is remitted to the person who surrendered
them.
Food Poisoning.
During the year seven cases were formally notified and in
addition information was received in other ways about other cases.
There were no deaths.