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110
EXPORT OF MEAT FOOD PRODUCTS TO THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA.
In my Annual Report for 1908 reference was made to the Food Laws then
recently made operative in the United States of America and the Philippine
Islands with regard to Meat Food Products imported into those countries.
Such imports have to be accompanied by an official attestion, signed by the
Certifying Officer (for the City your Medical Officer), of precautions taken to
ensure the wholesomeness of the food in question, and at the request of
the Foreign Office the Local Government Board formulated certain conditions
to be observed by traders in England and Wales who prepare or pack meat
foods to the countries in question, and who desire that their exports shall be
accompanied by the official attestation referred to.
The Certifying Officer is required to keep himself strictly informed, by
personal enquiry or in other available ways, on four points, the first three of
which are precisely similar to those existing under the Regulations for export
of meat foods to the Argentine, and relate to ordinary common-sense precautions
with regard to structure and character of premises, cleanliness and wholesomeness
of methods employed, the steps taken to avoid the utilization for food
purposes of diseased meat in any portion of the premises, and arrangements
made safely to dispose of such meat which, on account of disease, unsoundness,
unwholesomeness, or any other reason, is unfit for human food.
The fourth point upon which the Certifying Officer was to keep himself
informed is what steps are taken to ensure that all meat foods prepared
or packed for export to the United States of America and the Philippine
Islands are solely the products of animals which, on adequate ante-mortem
and post-mortem inspection, have been found free from disease and suitable for
human food.
If, in the opinion of the Certifying Officer, the information obtained with
regard to any of the four points is unsatisfactory, the attestation is to be
withheld, and notice thereof forthwith sent to the Local Government Board.
Copies of the scheduled forms of Declaration and Certificates required are
given in Appendix.
From time to time instances have arisen in which firms trading in the City,
and whose animals are slaughtered at the Islington Cattle Market, desire
to export meat from such animals to the United States of America or the
Philippines, and in such cases it has been the custom (approved by the Local
Government Board) for your Medical Officer to accent the Certificate of the