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96
SECTION E
INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD
The Food Hygiene Regulations 1955-57
The Food Hygiene (General) Regulations 1960
The Food Hygiene (Docks, Carriers, etc.) Regulations 1960
The 1960 (General) Regulations amend and consolidate the 1955-57
Regulations and, with the exception of their application to ships, came into
force on the 1st October, 1960. The Docks, Carriers, etc. Regulations came
into force in the main on the 1st November.
During the year there has been a growing concern regarding the increase
in the bird population in the borough, and this has inevitably increased the
danger of contamination of food especially in food factories. It is significant
that almost simultaneously the specific provisions in the 1955 Regulations
relating to preventing the entry of birds into food rooms have been omitted.
In recent years there has been a general trend towards a greater concentration
of the processing and packaging of food among the larger units in the
food industry, and a proportionate diminution of the number of shopkeepers
who themselves cook or otherwise prepare food on their own premises. This
has been particularly marked in Lambeth and has called for some changes in
the routine inspection of food premises and the methods of food production.
In the case of some meat factories an increase in the output of the
factories had resulted in some enroachment from the raw meat side to the
cooked meat side and vice versa. Steps have been taken to minimise the
possibility of cross infection of food poisoning organisms from raw to cooked
meat by arranging for the two types of meat to be handled in separate parts
of the factories by different personnel using equipment allocated only for
raw meat or for cooked meat as the case may be. In addition closer supervision
of food preparation, especially in the larger factories, has been
undertaken.
Food Premises
During the year under review, 2,632 inspections and revisits were made
to food premises in the Borough.