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24
CONDENSED MILK
In August, a consignment of full cream sweetened condensed
milk, imported from Rotterdam, was found entering the
Borough through the wharves. In view of previous information
received regarding these goods, tests were made, and although
no harmful organisms were found, the milk was obviously contaminated,
and apparently under-processed, rendering it unfit
for invalids and children. In co-operation with the Medical
Officer of Health of the Corporation of the City of London,
where large consignments were also found, it was agreed that
this milk should be used only for manufacturing purposes,
where it would be re-heated in the processes, and any dangerous
organisms or toxins thereby killed.
ICE CREAM
There are 121 ice cream dealers and 24 manufacturers in this
Borough. During the year 97 samples of ice cream have been
taken with the following results :—
25 samples were graded I
23 II
,, ,, ,,
17 ,, ,, ,, III
31 ,, ,, ,, IV
1 sample was not examined by the methylene
blue test.
These results are not entirely satisfactory, but it has been
found in several'instances that samples with very low bacterial
counts have been graded III or IV by the methylene blue test.
In all cases giving Grade III or IV results, special visits have
been made to the premises when careful investigations were
made and, where necessary, sampling at each separate stage of
the processes carried out, in an effort to detect some fault which
was not ordinarily apparent but which may have been causing
the unsatisfactory gradings. Improvements were often noted
in subsequent results.
A code of standards has been sent to each maker and dealer
in the Borough, and copies of the Public Analyst's reports on
samples taken forwarded to the vendors concerned ; in the case
of Grade III or IV samples special attention has been drawn to
the necessity for stricter care in the hygiene or manufacture,
handling and distribution.
Inspections are carried out before the registration of any new
premises to ensure that they are satisfactory and that the
requirements of the Heat Treatment Regulations are fully
understood. In many cases it has been necessary to restrict the
sale to pre-packed ice cream.