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54
"It would be very pleasant to be able to report that at least one
restaurant in the borough was displaying a notice inviting customers
to inspect the kitchen. If such a notice exists, I have yet to see it. This
would appear to be a point in favour of the snack bar where all
operations are carried out in full view of the customer, who can, and no
doubt, does, express his opinion on what he sees.
"The day of the supermarket is with us and although the small
trader and "personal service" have their champions there can be no
denying that from the public health point of view the large food stores
selling food under hygienic conditions with the provision of adequate
facilities for the staff, and with proper supervision, have much to
recommend them. It will be seen from the report that there has again
been an increase in the number of samples of icecream coming within
the Grade 1 category—out of 150 samples taken only 5 were unsatisfactory.
This is extremely gratifying and supports the point in
connection with the large provision stores, as the manufacture of icecream
is now almost wholly in the hands of a few wellknown companies with
the equipment and financial resources to provide and maintain a high
standard. The analyses of the 61 samples taken for composition were
also very satisfactory—no sample being below the legal standard.
"During the year we received the usual crop of complaints of
foreign bodies in articles of food and on investigation almost all of these
were found to be due to carelessness on the part of a food handler and
did not reflect on the hygienic conditions under which the article was
produced. This is the human element and it is difficult to see how this
can ever be entirely eradicated.
"Generally, one can say that the progress made in former years
has been maintained during 1958 and that a continuation of a high
standard in the handling and preparation and distribution of all forms
of food is appreciated both by those employed in the trade and the public."