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15
Col. 1.
Suggested Requirements.
6. In districts where a system of meat
marking is in operation, the Local Authority
should have power to require that all
meat used in prepared food products should
be inspected and approved before being
used.
7. In view of the impossibility of satisfactorily
examining in this country imported
boned meat, and meat in the canned form,
some of the responsibility which now devolves
upon home inspectors should be
accepted by the Government, who should
appoint inspectors to visit the chief places
abroad where the work of boning, canning,
and exporting meat generally is carried out.
In this way attention could be given to the
observance of hygienic requirements, and
to the quality and character of the meat
used.
8. Regulations should be framed to control
cold stores in which food products of
any kind are stored.
9. Regulations should be framed to
ensure that meat is handled in a cleanly
manner.
Col. 2
Action Since Taken.
6. No regulations in respect of this
matter exist but the Sanitary Committee
has suggested that under the regulations
which are intended to secure freedom of
meat from contamination, "prepared
meats " should be included.
7. Home inspectors have not yet been
appointed to supervise work abroad, although,
occasionally I believe, inspectors of
the Ministry of Health do make such
journeys of inspection.
8. Cold stores require to be registered
in Scotland but not in this country. The
Sanitary Committee has again expressed
its approval of the principle.
9. Regulations have been framed to
ensure that meat is handled in a cleanly
manner. The Sanitary Committee has
been persistent in its efforts to secure this
reform.
Slaughtering in the City.—The Medical Officer of Health has, on different occasions,
directed attention to the unsatisfactory arrangements for slaughtering in the City, both from
the point of view of the premises, and their location. The Corporation has accepted the recommendation
of the Sanitary Committee that compulsory powers should be obtained to prohibit
further slaughtering within the City area, and necessary action will be taken by a Bill
in Parliament* in the present year.
Humane Slaughtering of Animals has received the consideration of both the Sanitary
Committee and the Cattle Markets Committee and a report on the subject has been presented
by the officers concerned. These Committees, supported afterwards by the Corporation,
expressed an opinion in favour of humane slaughter but considered that in order to secure
uniformity of action appropriate central regulations should be framed.
Poultry.—The question of byelaws to control the slaughtering of poultry has been considered
and these byelaws are now operative in the City.
Avoidance of Contamination of Meat.—In connection with this subject an inspector has
been appointed whose duties are the supervision of this important aspect of food control,
and it is satisfactory to announce that beneficial results have already to be recorded.
It is not easy to effect a revolutionary change in a matter in respect of which a kind of
vested right in negligence has been acquired through previous lack of definite responsibility.
Much educational work will require to be undertaken before all the carriers' carts and other
means of transport can be reported as satisfactory, and before porters and others handling
meat can be regarded as having a complete sense of responsibility in this connection.
Preservatives.—In addition to the subject of meat, the Sanitary Committee has devoted
considerable time to the subject of preservatives in food and the standardisation of food
products. Previous to the Departmental Committee, which was set up to consider the subject
of preservatives in food, group examinations of food products had been arranged, with the
object of showing how far the products of a particular group made by different manufacturers
were free from preservatives. It is not necessary to recapitulate the number of foods which
were so inspected, but the general principle was invariably laid down that in the matter of
* This Bill has been promoted and has (Mar. 30/26) passed the third reading in the House of Commons.
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