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by the public health inspectors. The standard of hygiene and food storage
was satisfactory, and there was an absence of infectious conditions
amongst the staff. Unfortunately, no food remained from the meals for
examination.
The illness, although fairly severe in some cases, was of short duration.
Questionnaires supplied by the Public Health Department were completed
by 75 of the diners; an analysis was made of the replies received
but it was not possible to establish any significant differences between the
dishes consumed by those who were ill and those who were not.
Frozen and Prk-packed Foods
It has become increasingly popular for shopkeepers to instal frozen
food conservators from which frozen pre-packed foods are dispensed.
In practice, foodstuffs sold in this manner receive the minimum of
handling, and the customer is presented, after defrosting, with a ready-touse
commodity which usually needs very little further preparation.
It is, however, necessary for the retailer to give careful attention to the
rotation of his stock and to the regular maintenance of the refrigeration
units in use. Attention is also necessary to the stacking of the frozen
food cabinet. Some tend to be overfilled with the result that the food
at the top of the cabinet receives insufficient refrigeration, and in consequence
can suffer early deterioration. This problem would, of course,
be solved if some indicator could be incorporated in each package to show
whether it had been maintained continually in a frozen condition from
the time of production. No such indicator is at present available in this
country but research is proceeding here and abroad and it is hoped that
this will be successful.
Milk and Dairies (General) Regulations, 1959
At the 31st December, 1962, the following were entered in the Council's
Register of Dairies and Distributors of Milk:
Distributors of milk with premises registered as dairies 6
Distributors of milk with premises not registered as dairies 130
Milk (Special Designation) Regulations, 1960
During the year fourteen applications were received from newly
registered Distributors of Milk for Dealer's (Pre-packed Milk) Licences
for the use of one or more of the designations, "Pasteurised," "Sterilised"
or "Tuberculin Tested".
The licence permits the sale of milk both inside as well as outside the
area of the licensing authority.