London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Greenwich 1971

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Greenwich Borough]

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254
(c) impose in respect of all pickled meat, the limit on the
amount of added sodium nitrite, which formerly applied
only to cooked pickled meat.
By the principal regulations, the Preservatives in Food Regulations,
1962, as amended, subject to the same limits potassium
nitrate and potassium nitrite which are permitted alternatives for
sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite respectively.
The Meat Inspection (Amendment) Regulations, 1971.
These Regulations, made under Sections 13 and 123 of the
Food and Drugs Act, 1955, came into operation on the 16th
August, 1971, and raise the maximum charges which can be determined
by a local authority for inspections of carcases carried out
in pursuance of Reg. 3 of the principal regulations.
MILK
Milk consists of approximately 87% of water holding proteins,
sugar, vitamins and certain salts in solution, has an average specific
gravity of 1.032 and has suspended in it finely divided globules of
fat to which it owes its whiteness. Normally milk contains 3% fat
and 8.5% solids not-fat; it freezes at about —0.53°C. and its
chemical composition is subject to variation on a number of counts
such as the season and time of milking, the breed of cow, type of
feeding, etc. 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.
Milk and Dairies (General) Regulations, 1959
Under the provisions of these Regulations each person retailing
milk in the Borough must be registered as a Distributor. The
number of persons so registered at the end of the year was 204.
On 93 occasions the premises of distributors and dairies were
visited other than for sampling purposes but in no instance was
action required.

The Milk (Special Designation) Regulations, 1963 and 1965 There is one milk processing plant in the Borough in respect of which a Dealer's Pasteuriser's Licence was in force on 31st December, 1971, as were the following licences in relation to milk obtained in pre-packed form for sale to the general public:—

In Operation 31.12.71
Distribution of Sterilised Milk126
„ „ Pasteurised Milk98
„ „ Untreated Milk42
„ Ultra Heat Treated Milk10