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119
Summaries of samples taken from L.C.C. Schools and Nurseries
for chemical and bacteriological examination continued to be
furnished regularly to that authority.
Preserved Food and Ice Cream Premises.—In accordance
with the provisions of the Food and Drugs Act, 1955, Section 16,
all premises with the exception of schools, clubs, hotels or
restaurants used :—
(a) for the sale, or manufacture for the purpose of sale, of
ice cream, or storage of ice cream intended for sale ; or
(b) for the preparation or manufacture of sausages or potted,
pressed, pickled or preserved food intended for sale ;
are required to be registered by the owner or occupier with the
Local Authority.
Preserved Food Premises (meat, fish, etc.).—The total number
of premises on the register at 31st December, was 90.
One hundred and twenty four visits of inspection were made to
Preserved Food premises and Fried Fish shops as a result of which
3 improvements were made and several sanitary defects remedied.
Ice Cream Premises.—By the end of the year the total number
of registered Ice Cream premises stood at 232.
Visits to these premises were made on 148 occasions and 3
improvements effected.
Manufacture and Sale of Ice Cream.—As the public's
appreciation of the food value of ice cream increases, so
consumption rises but, as yet, no legal bacteriological standard
exists.
From time to time representations have been made to the
Minister of Health with a view to the adoption of a bacteriological
standard of cleanliness but he has made it known that he is satisfied
that no existing test is precise or selective enough to justify its
adoption as a statutory measure. In his opinion the methylene
blue reductase test affords a simple and valuable " rule of thumb "
method for the measurement of the bacterial cleanliness of
ice cream indicating the necessity or otherwise of further investigation
into methods of production.
However, in order to minimise the risk of contamination and
the spread of infection, the policy in Greenwich has been to
encourage the sale of " wrapped" or " carton" ice cream in
preference to the manufacture and sale of it " loose."
The Ice Cream (Heat Treatment, etc.) Regulations, 1959.—In
consolidating and amending the previous Regulations 1947 to 1952,