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15
INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD
This part of the report deals with the work carried out by
the Food Inspectors under the Food and Drugs Act, 1938, the Public
Health (Meat) Regulations, 1924, and the Milk(Special Designation)
Regulations, 1949 and 1950, and the Ice Cream (Heat Treatment),
etc.) Regulations, 1947.
1. Sampling of Food and Drugs
(a) For Chemical analysis
Number procured formally 200
Number procured informally 1,300
Of the 200 formal samples, 171 were of milk, one sample was
found to be adulterated.
(b) For bacteriological and other examinations.
The following shows the number and types of samples submitted
for bacteriological and other examinations:-
Bacteriological Examinations
Calves Foot Jelly 1
Cream canned 20
Egg dried 1
Finger swabs 2
Ice Cream and Ice Cream Mix 155
Ice Cream Churns 2
Ice Lolly 2
Mallow Russe 1
Peanut Butter 1
Skimmed Milk Powder 1
Total 186
•These articles were suspected to have caused food poisoning.
In February a press report stated that a certain brand of canned
cream had been found, in Birmingham, to be infected with typhoid
organisms. In addition to this report a broadcast by the B.B.C.
urged the public who were in possession of this particular brand
of cream not to consume it but to take it to the office of the
local authority. In consequence of this appeal 65 tins were brought
to the Town Hall and as a result of information given by the
purchasers an embargo was placed on all known stocks of this
cream in the possession of retailers. 17 samples were taken and
submitted to the Public Health Laboratory Service for examination
and no organisms capable of causing illness were isolated.
It was eventually established that the manufacturers of the
cream had cooled the batch of tins by water from a polluted well,
and that the culprit tin in Birmingham had been imperfectly
sealed allowing water to leak into the tin.
As a precautionary measure, on the advice of the Ministry of
Health, all tins of this brand of cream in the Borough were
surrendered by retailers and destroyed. The public who had
surrendered their tins were all financially reimbursed.