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20
SECTION D
INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD
Food and Drugs Act, 1938.
Meat and, Other Foods.
Throughout the year routine inspection of premises, shops,
stalls and vehicles was carried out where food is prepared, stored
or sold. During 1952, 5,160 visits were made, and at 110 of
these, unsatisfactory conditions constituting contraventions under
Section 13 of the Food and Drugs Act, 1938, were present. In
two, conditions required the institution of legal proceedings,
and convictions with fines and costs amounting to £8 4s. 0d.
were made. In the remaining cases the unsatisfactory conditions
were remedied following the issue of warning letters by the
Food and Drugs Inspectors.
Under Section 10 of the Act four seizures of fancy pastries
were made. In two cases chocolate cream buns showed dark
stains in the cream portions and on parts of the pastry. Upon
analysis it was found that the chocolate colour used was a composite
one, being a harmless food colour normally used by the
trade, and differential absorption had taken place giving rise to
a chromatographic effect. The remaining two cases were
chocolate eclairs affected by mould.
Sampling
During the year 1,600 samples of food and drugs were
submitted to the Public Analyst for chemical analysis. Of this
number 10 or 0.625 per cent. samples were reported to be nongenuine;
this represents a small increase on last year. Four
of the unsatisfactory samples were samples of pork sausages
which failed to comply with the standard laid down by the Meat
Products No. 2 Order, 1952, and reports on these were forwarded
to the Ministry of Food. A total of 161 samples of synthetic
and butter cream used in bakers' confectionery were taken for
bacteriological examination. Extensive sampling in all stages
of production was carried out in the case of a manufacturer of
bakers' confectionery in which synthetic and butter cream was
used, following identification of human excretal pollution. The
manufacturer welcomed our assistance and gave full co-operation
throughout the investigation, as a result of which a satisfactory
standard of purity was reached.