View report page

Fruit
Two purchases of seedless oranges were procured and were found to
contain quantities of seeds. Legal proceedings were instituted against the
company concerned and fines on two counts of £5 and £2 respectively were
imposed and an order made for the payment of costs amounting to two
guineas.
Meat
Two samples of steakettes were procured and each was found to
contain a prohibited preservative. An official caution was issued.
Merchandise Marks Acts, 1 887 - 1 953
The majority of the inspection work carried out under the provisions
of the above Act is to ensure compliance with the requirements of the
various marking orders made under the provisions of the Act of 1926.
These orders apply to the marking of the country of origin on imported
foodstuffs, principally meat, apples, tomatoes, dried fruit, bacon, ham,
poultry, butter and honey upon sale and exposure for sale. Inspections
were made at 151 premises of 768 displays of these foodstuffs. No infringements
were detected.
Labelling of Food Order, 1953
This Order requires pre-packed food to be marked with the name and
address or with the registered trade mark of the packer or labeller. It also
requires such food to be labelled with its common or usual name (if any) and
in the case of a compounded food with the names of the ingredients in
descending order of proportion by weight. Furthermore, it controls the
manner in which the presence of vitamins and minerals is disclosed and
prescribes specific labelling of certain foods. A total of 932 articles of
pre-packed food was examined at 132 different premises to verify compliance
with these regulations.
False and Misleading Descriptions
Food advertisements and labels have been scrutinised for false and
misleading statements and descriptions. No serious infringements were
disclosed. Corrective action taken within the whole area of the county has
equal effect within each county district and work under this heading is combined
with inspections made under the terms of the Merchandise Marks Acts
and Labelling of Food Order. Examples of where corrective action was
sought are set out as follows: television and press advertisements which
falsely described a processed cheese as a cream cheese, advertisements
which falsely suggested a fruit content for sweets, jam-cream sponge and
cream doughnuts which contained imitation cream, and chocolate liqueurs
which were deficient in alcohol-content.
37