View report page

comprising more than 70,000 12-oz. tins showed an unusual percentage of blown tins.
Samples of the blown and sound tins were submitted for bacteriological examination, and
all the blown tins gave a heavy growth of spore-bearing organisms of bacillus and
Clostridium groups. In view of the presence of spore bearing Clostridium, there was a
risk of Clostridium botulinum being present, a spore bearer which can give rise to a
serious paralytic, possibly fatal, type of food poisoning. There had been a change of
pack from a round to a square tin and it was considered that these bacteriological results
arose as a result of under-treatment in autoclaving, probably due to a change in the
geometry of the cans. The consignment, which is detained at the wharf is to be destroyed
or re-exported to Australia, the country of origin.
Mention should be made of the disposal of damaged tea and tea sweepings which
accumulate in fairly large amounts on wharves. Details of weights and number of bags
are checked and the unfit tea is periodically disposed of for industrial or fertiliser
use, the medical officer of health of the area to which it is sent being notified. In
this connection, it was discovered in April that quantities of damaged tea and sweepings
were being disposed of to a small firm outside the borough, for industrial purposes.
Investigation revealed that this tea was being sieved and sold cheaply for human consumption.
As a result of representations made to the firm originally disposing of the unfit tea,
supplies to the small firm were stopped.
Samples of dried egg and desiccated coconut submitted for bacteriological examination
during the year have all proved satisfactory.
301 detention notices and 272 release notices were served under the Public Health
(Imported Food) Regulations 1937-48. These notices affected a variety of foodstuffs
including: animal casings, almonds, bacon, bay leaves, dried apricots, capsicums, chillies,
cocoa, cocoa-butter, coffee, curry powder, desiccated coconut, dates, dried egg, gum
arabic, groundnuts, gum tragacanth, ginger, tinned ham, hazel nuts, hops, lard, milk
powder, muscatels, olives, frozen prawns, canned pork, prunes, rosemary leaves, liver
sausage, salami, sugar, sultanas, tea, thyme, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, tartaric
acid, wheat gluten and wine.
Liquid Egg Pasteurisation
There are two plants in the borough where liquid egg is pasteurised. Hygiene at
the larger establishment was maintained at a high level during the year, and many representatives
of foreign governments and trade organisations continue to visit these
premises. The smaller of the plants is due for demolition in the near future which
prohibits the undertaking of any major improvements.
10 samples taken proved satisfactory when submitted to the alpha-amhlase test.
58.