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15
Milk Supplies
At the close of the year 301 inspections of premises in the
Borough used in connection with the processing and distribution
of milk had been made by the Food and Drugs Inspectors.
Generally, the premises were found satisfactory. In only 8
cases was it found necessary to send warning letters in respect
of unsatisfactory conditions.
The Milk and Dairies Regulations, 1949, control the
registration of premises and provide for the protection of
milk against contamination throughout its stages of production
and sale. It was found that the most frequent contravention
under these regulations related to the use of bottles from
which all foreign matter had not been removed. It is an
unfortunate fact that milk bottles lend themselves to many
kinds of abuse. Because of their convenient shape and size
they are at times used for purposes other than for which they
were designed, e.g., the holding of paraffin, motor oil, paint,
cement and flowers, etc. Occasionally, fly larvae, beetles,
snails, etc. have been found in bottles of milk. In the cases
where fly larvae are found, the residue of milk left in the
bottles attracts these creatures. Sour milk attracts the vinegar
fly, and invites her to oviposit. Bottles are frequently left on
waste ground and building sites and when they eventually reach
the milk depots many are so dirty that they have to be smashed
or subjected to special treatment, even the most modern bottle
washing plant being inadequate to deal with contamination of
this description.
I feel that the Regulations do not go far enough, for,
although it is an offence for a distributor or dairy farmer to
return empty milk bottles, etc., in a dirty condition, no
similar restriction is imposed on the consumer.