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stuffs is getting progressively more difficult and with these more
subtle forms of contamination, analysts are confronted with
situations requiring completely new techniques and methods of
analysis.
The problems of "food borne" infections loom large and food
inspectors must be on their guard against bacterial contamination
such as salmonellosis, against viral and rickettsial infections such
as infectious hepatitis; against amoebic dysentery resulting from
protozoal pollution and against the zooparasitical complaints of
ascariasis and trichinosis.
Generally, until shocked into awareness as in the current
Aberdeen typhoid outbreak, the public remain blissfully ignorant
of the risk to health from bacterial contamination of food and it
is usually only the unfortunate sufferer who realises how much
personal inconvenience and loss of working time can be caused
by food poisoning. Canned food carries far less risk of salmonellae,
Clostridium welchii and staphylococcal infection than ordinary food,
the main hazards in this case being under-processing during heat
treatment and leakage whilst being cooled.
Fundamentally, progress in food hygiene and even the maintenance
of existing standards are based upon human factors and
no amount of legislation can eliminate this human element. For
example, making staffs personally responsible for the notification
of certain ailments, although well-intentioned, runs counter to the
personal interests of the worker who fears the resultant reduction
in wages. Yet it is likely that the majority of our outbreaks of food
poisoning arise from just this situation where the food handler fails
to notify his illness (assuming he is aware of its potential danger),
continues with his duties and so constitutes a hazard to the public
at large. There is no doubt but that the answer to most food contamination
problems lies in personal cleanliness and health education
and, in the food industry generally, a great need exists for the
training and retaining of responsible staff. One can only register
disappointment with the fact that in a rapid staff turnover, even
the present trained personnel are being replaced by relatively
unskilled labour unwilling or unable to take advantage of training
schemes introduced by enlightened and progressive employers.
It is evident that the powers necessary for the compulsory
registration of eating houses still constitutes a serious omission
and domestic animals are still not specifically banned from cafes
and food shops. Some reprehensible practices, such as the touching
of food when setting it out and the serving of meat sandwiches and
cakes by hand still exist and, further, the pernicious habit of cooking
a joint today for tomorrow's meal persistently produces its
yearly crop of infections of staphylococcal origin.