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FOOD
FOOD HYGIENE
In recent years there has been growing public interest in clean food.
Previously the only complaint about food normally received in the Health
Department was that of the presence of a "foreign body", such as a
cigarette end, finger stall, piece of wire. Now increasing attention is
paid to the standard of cleanliness in the shops, not only in the structure
and method of display but also in the personal habits of assistants; this
must be welcomed. Only by the active co-operation of the public can a
high standard of cleanliness be achieved and maintained. Complaints
from customers re-inforce the persuasion and cajoling of the public health
inspectors. Still one meets managers of shops who think that food hygiene
is over-emphasised and fail to appreciate the increase in food poisoning
and the ever-growing knowledge of the causes.
More enlightened shopkeepers are aware that clean food is good
business and the general standard is steadily improving.
The Food Hygiene Regulations define 'open food' as food not contained
in a container of such materials, and so closed, as to exclude all risk of
contamination. Food premises should not be congested, they should be
planned so that thorough cleaning can easily be carried out, well lit and
properly ventilated. It will be apparent to the customer that such premises
are kept clean. The next essential is that all who serve or otherwise
handle food shall be careful that the hygienic condition of the food is
not affected by careless or thoughtless personal habits. Further, food
premises should be used only for foods and the ever growing practice of
selling odorous commodities such as soap, detergents and disinfectants
is to be deplored particularly where 'open food' is sold. The law does
not prohibit this, nor indeed does it prohibit the storage and sale of
paraffin from food premises and the local authority could take action only
in specific cases if it could prove to the Court that there had been contamination
of food by one of these substances. Such proof is often difficult
to obtain.
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