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78
SECTION E
Inspection of Food and Supervision of Food Premises
Duties of the Department under this Section were severely
handicapped by the sudden and premature death in July of the
Senior Food Inspector and, due to the shortage of qualified Sanitary
Inspectors, some difficulty was experienced in appointing a successor.
Legislation.—During the year legislation affecting the department
was confined mainly to minor Statutory Instruments. It had
been hoped that the current year would have seen the implementation
of the new Food and Drugs Amendment Act, 1954, but although
it was given Royal Assent on 25th November, with the exception of
Section 28 which deals with further provisions as to restriction of
private slaughter-houses, the Act will not become operative until
such date as may be appointed by order of the Minister.
Milk
Milk consists of approximately 87% of water holding proteins,
sugar and certain salts in solution and having suspended in it finely
divided globules of fat to which the milk owes its whiteness. Milk,
as drawn aseptically from a healthy cow, contains few bacteria
but as it forms an excellent medium for the growth of organisms
every precaution should be taken to prevent its contamination.
Wise application of many branches of science is required for
the production and distribution of a pure milk supply. The hygienic
handling of milk is of vital importance to the health and well-being
of the nation and the eradication of bovine Tuberculosis, Typhoid
and Undulant Fever, Diarrhoea and many other diseases is largely
dependent on this factor. It is, therefore, to be expected that this
commodity formed the largest class of food sampled during the year.
Milk Supply.—The supply of milk continues to be under the
direction of the Milk Marketing Board, who, in this connection, act
as agents to the Ministry of Food. The greater proportion of the
milk which enters the Borough originates from the Home Counties
and the remainder which is of a higher fat content, arrives from
Devon and the Channel Islands.