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Among other new legislation concerning food introduced during the year is the Bread (Amendment) Order 1955 which permits
bakers to produce and sell a loaf containing not less than a
prescribed proportion of skimmed milk powder, an ingredient not
hitherto permitted, and to be known as National Milk Bread. A
loaf sold under this name must contain not less than six parts
by weight of skimmed milk powder to one hundred parts by weight
of national flour or national brown flour. This order has been
severely criticized and I am not entirely happy about it myself.
I do not like the use of the description 'milk bread' for bread
which contains a small proportion of skinned milk powder. The purchasing
public might well think that milk bread contains at least
some proportion of each of the more valuable constituents of milk.
Another matter relating to bread which has caused some concern in the past was the use of agene as an improver in flour.
Following extensive experiments the Minister of Agriculture and
pood announced that effect should now be given to the decision
taken in 1950 to discontinue the use of agene.
In view of that decision the National Association of British
and Irish millers agreed to recommend their members to discontinue
the use of agene and to give an undertaking that the equipment
for treating flour in that way would be removed from their mills
by the end of 1955.
The National Association of Flour Importers has similarly
agreed to recommend their members to ensure that no flour treated
with agene will be imported by them.
The Transfer of Functions (Food & Drugs) Order 1955 provides
for the transfer of certain food hygiene functions from the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and pood to the Minister of Health.
under this Order the Ministry of Health became the central department responsible In England and wales for general food hygiene
work. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, however, remains the central department responsible for the hygiene of milk
production and distribution and of meat and meat products while
in a slaughterhouse or in the course of importation, as well as
for the composition and labelling of food. The Ministry of Health
is still the central department responsible for medical advice on
all food matters and for measures for the control of milk—borne
disease.
Meat and other Foods.
Throughout the year routine inspection of premises, shops,
stalls and vehicles was carried out where food is prepared or sold.
During 1955, 2,844 visits were made and at 39 of these, unsatisfactory conditions constituting contraventions under section 13,
Food and Drugs Act 1938 were found. In every case the unsatisfactory conditions were remedied following the issue of warning letters by the pood and Drugs inspectors.