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(b) MEAT AND OTHER FOODS.
The two special Food Inspectors have kept under regular observation food exposed or
deposited for sale in slaughter-houses, butchers' shops, cooked meat shops, fishmongers'
premises, stalls, market places, etc.
The undermentioned unsound or diseased food was either seized or surrendered by the
owners for destruction or to be dealt with as trade refuse:—
Unsound Food Condemned .and Destroyed.
Surrendered.
Apples, 13 boxes and 5 bags
Bananas, 4 crates
Black Currants, 48 boxes
Carcass, Pig's, 1
Cauliflowers, 28
Cod, 1 box
Crabs, 100
Dogfish, 1 trunk
Fowls, 8
Haddocks, 1 box
Halibut, 2 boxes
Heads, Pigs', 3
Livers, Bullocks', 7
„ Pigs', 2
Margarine, 56 lbs.
Mutton, Shoulder of
Pears, 24 boxes
Plaice, 12 stones
Pork, 49 lbs.
Salmon, smoked, 42 lbs.
Skate, 1 trunk and 18 stones
Strawberries, 31 tubs
Tomatoes, 2 bundles
Walnuts, 93 bags.
Seized.
Grape Fruit, 140.
Food Poisoning and Preservatives.
Owing to the supervision which is now exercised in connection with food and the
premises in which it is prepared and dealt with, outbreaks of food poisoning are rare.
In the past year, especially during the hot summer, a few outbreaks occurred, and as
new Regulations prohibiting the use of Preservatives in certain foods had recently come into
force, the erroneous conclusion was drawn that the events were connected.
The presence of the amount of preservative previously permitted in certain foods would
not affect the growth of the bacteria usually responsible for attacks of food poisoning. The
chief purpose served by preservatives was in retarding decomposition, and to some extent, their
use would minimise the effect of lack of cleanliness in food handling and preparation.
The use of chemical preservatives is undesirable and is now practically unnecessary, as
electric and other methods of refrigeration or cold storage are now available. They arc
infinitely better and the use of such methods should be greatly extended.
A somewhat extensive outbreak of Food poisoning occurred in the Borough during the
year, and although the actual germ was isolated, the manner in which the food became
contaminated by it could not be ascertained. The following report on the subject was
presented to the Council:—
Report on an Outbreak of Food Poisoning.
In accordance with the requirements of Section 14 (5) of the Sanitary Officers
(London) Order, I beg to submit the following report:—