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5
(5) General Observations.
During the past year we have been consulted by a number of firms prior to their commencing
work on their various projects, and we have, it is thought, been of some use in suggesting and
obtaining various amendments.
Difficulty has arisen in regard to premises, including some under Local Authority control,
where the carrying out of our recommendations would have involved expenditure in excess of
the estimates for the year. We appreciate the reluctance of officers to incur such expenditure,
but it is our duty to represent what is in our opinion necessary to secure satisfactory standards
of hygiene and what our experience leads us to believe will ultimately prove most economical.
In response to our request the City Engineer's Department have informed us when they are
considering plans for new buildings in which a kitchen or canteen is to be provided.
A number of firms in the City have established excellent kitchens and dining facilities for
their staffs. They have allocated ample space for the purpose and have not grudged expenditure
on adequate equipment of first class quality.
On several occasions allegations have been made that horseflesh has been served in restaurants.
Each complaint has been carefully investigated with the help of the meat inspectors from Smithfield,
but in no case was horseflesh found on the premises. In some cases it would appear that the
customers had concluded that extremely poor quality beef was horseflesh and had felt that it
was in the public interest that they should lodge a complaint. In others it would seem that they
acted from less worthy motives.
We understand that there is little inducement to serve horseflesh at the present time, as most
catering establishments have an adequate allocation of butchers' meat which is not much more
expensive than horseflesh.
Complaints of dirty utensils have been few. In each case the arrangements for washing-up
have been inspected, the faults have been pointed out and the necessary adjustments have been
made."
FOOD AND DRUGS ACT, 1938, AND FOOD REGULATIONS.
Mr. Harrington, the Inspector under the Food and Drugs Act, reports as follows:—
"304 samples have been submitted to the Public Analyst; 28 of these were formal and 276
were informal samples.
Six samples were reported against.
The percentage of adulterated samples was 1.3.
Legal proceedings were instituted in three cases and in three other cases cautions were administered.
Milk.
Thirty samples of milk were examined by both the Phosphatase and the Methylene Blue Tests.
These tests are designed respectively to check the efficiency of the heat treatment applied to the milk
and to give an indication of the keeping quality which bears relation to general cleanliness. In one
sample the report on the Phosphatase Test indicated a standard slightly lower than that required by
the Milk (Special Designation) (Pasteurised and Sterilised Milk) Regulations, 1949, and the Local
Authority within whose district the pasteurising plant was situated, was notified accordingly. Four
adverse reports were received on the Methylene Blue Test. Two cases were due to lack of cleanliness
in handling, etc., and in one case old milk had been mixed with new. Cautions were duly administered
to those responsible. In the other instance, the milk had soured and analysis showed adulteration with
a fat deficiency of twenty-six per cent. The vendor was accordingly prosecuted.
The average composition of genuine milk samples taken during the year was : Milk fat 3.60 per
cent.; solids-not-fat 8.80 per cent ;.water 87.60 per cent.
Ice Cream.
Unfortunately in July, 1952, the Minister of Food found it necessary in order to avoid a reduction
in the supply of ice cream, to modify the standards laid down in the Food Standards (Ice Cream) Order
which came into operation on 1st March, 1951. By the Food Standards (Ice Cream) (Amendment)
Order, 1952, the required minimum fat content of ice cream was lowered from 5 per cent. to 4 per
cent. and the non-fat milk solids content from 7½ per cent. to 5 per cent. It will be remembered that
it was the wish of the Minister that the original standard should have been an interim one and that
he had hoped progressively to improve the standard as supplies of ingredients became more plentiful.
Circumstances during the year under review have not allowed of this.
The average composition of samples of ice cream taken in the City was, however, fat 10.'7per
cent. ; non-fatty solids 11.8 per cent. and sucrose 13.4 per cent. Nine samples were examine.d by the
Methylene Blue Test. Three were placed in Grade 1, five in Grade II and one in Grade III. Particulars
regarding this last-mentioned sample were communicated to the Local Authority for the district
wherein the ice cream was manufactured.
Seven new registrations of premises for the sale and storage of ice cream were granted during
the year.
Details of the formal and informal samples submitted for analysis and of the action taken in
regard to adulteration or other irregularity appear later in this report."