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49
Sausages.
Thirty-two samples of sausages were examined, four of which were reported to contain
preservative (sulphur dioxide) contrary to the Public Health (Preservatives, etc., in Food)
Regulations.
In one case where there was failure to disclose the presence of preservative on t'he label, the
amount present was very small (40 parts per million), and the summons against the vendor
was withdrawn on payment by the defendant of one guinea costs.
In two cases letters of warning were addressed to the vendors, legal proceedings being
considered unnecessary. These were cases where the samples sold to the Inspectors were
parts of packages packed and labelled by the makers, the label on the original packets
disclosing the presence of preservative. The local vendor in breaking the package for the
retail sale omitted to add a preservative declaration to the part of the package sold to the
Inspector
In the fourth case the sample contained 164 parts per million sulphur dioxide; prosecution
was instituted for sale of the sausages without disclosure of the presence of preservative.
The vendor was convicted and fined £3, and £1. 1s. costs.
In addition to the foregoing, one informal sample of sausages was reported as not
genuine. This was a cooked sausage; further samples subsequently taken from the same
vendor were found to be genuine.
Tinned Vegetables.
A very thorough sampling of tinned green vegetables was made, all the brands sold in
the Borough being examined. These included 10 brands of asparagus, 7 of beans, 24 of
peas, and one of spinach. Of these one sample only was found to have been sold contrary to
the provisions of the Public Health (Preservatives, etc., in Food) Regulations, 1925, namely,
a sample of beans found to contain copper equal to 1.715 grains per lb. of copper sulphate.
Proceedings were instituted under the Regulations, the summons, however, was dismissed
under the Probation of Offenders Act, the defendant being ordered to pay 42s. costs.
Possible Contamination of Food by the use of Block Ice.
During the year a complaint was received alleging that ice to be used in
a restaurant was drawn across the (dirty) pavement. On investigation it was
found that during the summer months ice is delivered, daily to the larger restaurants;
in the course of delivery the ice is dropped from the van to sacks on the
roadway and dragged across the footway to the restaurant stores.
At the restaurant complained of, refrigerators were used for storage, ice being
used only after the edibles are taken out of their refrigerators. Ice came into
actual contact with the food in the servery, from which the food was distributed
and where butter was kept in a bowl of iced water, and in the cocktail bar where
broken ice was put into the cocktail from a. bowl on the bar. In both cases the
ice was washed before use and the ice and receptacles appeared to be perfectly
clean. Arrangements were made for ice being delivered to this establishment
in future to be conveyed by trolley from the van to the restaurant store.
On inspections at the popular tea shops it was found that ice was used to
cool water for drinking purposes, and also came into direct contact with butter.
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