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Ice Cream
Ice cream is manufactured at two premises in the Borough, one of which is a large
wholesale manufacturing and distributing company.
During the year 24 samples of ice cream were taken to the Public Health Laboratory
Service for bacteriological examination and the Methylene Blue test. The Methylene Blue test is
recommended by the Ministry of Health as a guide to ascertaining the bacteriological cleanliness
of ice cream. The time taken to decolourise Methylene Blue is recorded and the samples graded
as follows:-
Time taken to decolourise
Provisional Grade Methylene Blue
1 45$ hours or more
2 25$ hours or more
3 5$ to 2 hours
4 Less than 5$ hour
The 24 samples were placed in the following grades:-
12 were within Grade 1
4 were within Grade 2
6 were within Grade 3
2 were within Grade 4

Milk Supplies
There are two large milk processing depots in the Borough, each with its own private
siding enabling it to'receive milk by rail and from the country.
Raw milk is brought to these depots daily in rail tanks and road tankers each of 3,000
gallons capacity. Milk is collected from the farms and bulked at creamery centres in the dairying
areas and after preliminary tests it is despatched to the processing and distributing depots. A
large quantity of milk is also received at these depots in churns direct from the farms. The two
depots handle together about 180,000 gallons of milk per day. There are nine "High temperature
short time" pasteurising plants in which the milk is heated to, and retained at, a temperature of
161°F for 15 seconds, and is then cooled to below 50°F in accordance with the requirements of
the Milk (Special Designation) Regulations, 1960—1963. There are also a number of ovens for the
production of sterilised milk.
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