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SECTION E.
INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD.
Clean Food Campaigns.
During the year a single lecture and demonstration course, to meet the
educational requirements of kitchen workers, was arranged in conjunction with the
Central Council for Health Education and all individual restaurant and cafe
proprietors, as well as firms with canteens, etc., were invited to send members of their
staff. A number of large firms with restaurants in the Borough wrote to the effect
that they had their own arrangements for the education of their staff in food hygiene.
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Following this, a three lecture course was arranged specifically for those in
charge of restaurants, canteens, etc., and senior staff. Invitations were forwarded
to firms with restaurants, and cafe proprietors, these invitations being followed up by
personal visits by the Sanitary Inspector concerned.
Taking part in this course were the Medical Officer of Health, the Pathologist
of the Archway Group Laboratory, a member of the staff of the Westminster Technical
College and also two Sanitary Inspectors.
Talks and practical demonstrations were given, and the attendance varied
between 30 and 40. The lectures were advertised in the local press and circulars
were forwarded to interested persons in the Borough inviting the staffs engaged in
restaurants, canteens, etc., to attend. Food hygiene posters and handbills were
widely distributed and also prominent notices regarding washing of hands, etc., were
displayed in appropriate positions in restaurant premises. Local publicity was also
given by reports of lectures in the local press and in a monthly information booklet
circudated by the Council's Libraries Department.
The Council engage three women Sanitary Inspectors who were very largely
concerned, in the parts of the Borough which were allocated to them, for the
inspection of restaurants and cafes. Much of their time was spent in individual
discussion and giving individual advice in the course of their inspections of food
establishments and they made a particular point of discussing food hygiene with
kitchen employees on all possible occasions.
Inspection of Refreshment and Coffee Stalls.
It was considered advisable, consequent upon the complaints which had been
received regarding unclean crockery at refreshment and coffee stalls, for the Sanitary
Inspectors to pay evening visits, having regard to the fact that, in the majority of
cases, refreshment stalls do not set up until late in the evening when inspections were
not normally carried out. Accordingly arrangements were made for evening routine
inspections of food stalls to be carried out and, in this connection, it was reported by
the Inspectors that most of the stalls were found to be in a satisfactory condition.
Out-Door Food Handlers.
The provisions of the Food and Drugs Act, 1938, require certain precautions to
be taken in relation to the protection and hygienic preparation of food, the keeping of
premises in a clean condition, and the taking of such steps as may be reasonably
necessary, by the persons exposing food for sale, to prevent risk of contamination.
It was appreciated by the Council that difficulty arose relative to the personal
hygiene of out-door food handlers, such as vendors handling unwrapped food, milk
roundsmen etc. The out-door food handler was at a big disadvantage in view of