London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Lewisham 1968

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham Borough]

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ICECREAM
Food Standards (Icecream) Regulations, 1959
Labelling of food (Amendment) Regulations, 1959
The composition of 24 icecream samples submitted to the public analyst during the
year showed an average composition of 10.8% fat.
Grading
Icecream is submitted to the Public Health Laboratory for bacteriological examination
The icecream is graded according to the time taken to decolorise a dye, methylene
blue. The test is a provisional one and because of the many factors which govern the
hygienic quality of icecream it is recommended officially that judgement should be
based on a series of samples and that too much attention should not be paid to the
result of an individual sample. It is suggested that over a six-monthly period, at
least 50 per cent, of a vendor's samples should fall into grade 1, 80 per cent into
grades 1 or 2, not more than 20 per cent into grade 3 and none into grade 4.
During the year 15 samples of icecream were submitted for bacteriological examination
with the following results:

Table 62

Samples°/ /o
Grade I ...960
Grade II...427
Grade III213
Grade IV.........
TOTAL15100

In general, grades I and II are satisfactory, while grades III and IV may indicate
some defect in manufacture, handling or storage. Such cases are followed up and
advice given.

Other Bacteriological Samples

Cream30
Cooked meats30
Shellfish11
Fish cakes8
Cream cakes8
Trifles4
Stewed steak2
Egg noodles2
Buttermilk1
Horseradish sauce1
Gooseberries1
Cod liver oil1
Egg macaroni1
Vermicelli with egg1
Soup nuts1
Egg pasta1
Egg noodles with spinach1
Sausages1
Pig's tongue1
Total106