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92
Catering Establishments.—Public demand for communal
catering continues and as a result of this practice of 'eating out'
the inspection and supervision of cafes, restaurants, works' canteens
etc., remains one of the most important duties of the Food Inspectors.
Disregard of normal hygiene in the handling and preparation of
food at such establishments can lead to an outbreak of food poisoning
on a large scale and it is a tribute to the Inspectors' vigilance
that no such outbreaks have occurred.
As a result of 239 visits of inspection to the catering establishments
insanitary conditions were remedied and improvements
effected at 27 premises. The following is a summary of the improvements
carried out:—
Type of Improvement Effected Total No.
Cleaned and Painted 17
W.C. Wallplaster Renewed 2
New sink fitted 1
Refrigerator installed 1
Dampness in Basement walls remedied 1
Rainwater pipe fixed 1
Dustbin renewed 1
Asphalted throughout 1
Hot water supply installed in Staff W.C. 1
W.C. sealed 1
Total Improvements Effected 27
Many licenced victuallers have instituted a catering service
during the last few years, some providing prepared food to be
consumed at the bar counter and others supplying a cooked lunch
in a separate dining room. Improvements were carried out at 4
public houses as a result of informal action.
Food and Drugs Act, 1938.—In accordance with the Council's
contract with the Public Analyst to submit between four and five
hundred samples per year, 439 were obtained under the provisions
of the above Act and presented for examination. Of this total,
24 samples were formal and 415 informal of which 10 (all informal)
were reported to be non-genuine. The adulteration figure at 2.2%
shows a reduction of 0.4 from that of last year.
Milk was again the main food sampled and not one of the 43
samples submitted for analysis was unsatisfactory.