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60
Eggs purchased at a retail grocery were found to be bad. Enquiry
at the shop revealed an inefficient system of rotation of stock, and the
management were instructed to ensure that close attention be given to this
in future.
A tin of raspberries was found to contain an insect. The product was
canned on the Continent, and the trade representative of the Embassy in
the United Kingdom of the country concerned instituted an investigation
at the factory. He reported that the construction of the factory precluded
insects having free access to fruits intended for processing, and furthermore,
the cleaning process appeared to be adequate. He stated that the
matter was viewed with some seriousness, and emphasised that every
effort would be made to safeguard the interest of the consumer. It was
arranged that the complainant should be recompensed.
A cake purchased from a multiple store was found to contain a piece
of adhesive bandage. The cake was made at a factory outside the United
Kingdom. It transpired that adhesive bandages used at the factory
contained a thin metal strip for the very purpose of avoiding
the type of complaint received. The purpose of this strip was to ensure
that should a bandage inadvertently gain access to the mix, the metaldetector
device on the production line would immediately indicate its
presence, and the necessary action could be taken. In this instance,
however, the operative responsible had not adhered to the Company's
regulations, and had used a bandage not of their design and without the
metal strip.
The complainant after first indicating her willingness to participate
in legal proceedings had such action been taken, decided that she did not
wish to be further involved. As the complaint originated through the
failure of an employee to adhere to the Company's standing instructions
in relation to the use of special first aid facilities, there was some degree
of mitigation. However, the Company were reminded of the inherent
danger in an incident of this nature.
The purchaser of a small almond tart found on cutting the cake that
it contained an open safty pin. Legal proceedings were instituted against
the bakers concerned who also owned the retail premises; the Magistrate
granted an absolute discharge with £10 10s. Od. costs.
Food Poisoning
During the year 21 notifications were received of persons suffering
from food poisoning. Eleven of these were single cases; nine others were
in-patients at a teaching hospital who were notified as suffering from an
infection due to salmonella Brandenburg. The remaining notification
concerned one person, who was concerned with five others who were not