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Ice Cream
None of the samples submitted to the Public Analyst failed to comply with the requirements
of the Food Standards (Ice Cream) Order, 1953, the average composition of the samples analysed
being, fat: 10.9 per cent; milk solids (not fat) ; 11.2 per cent; sucrose: 15.8 per cent.
Food Labelling
No administrative action has been required. Enquiries however, continue to be received
from time to time and advice and assistance have been given wherever possible to help ensure
compliance with the requirements of the Labelling of Food Order, 1953 and also with the Merchandise
Marks Acts, 1887/1953.
Administration Generally
Details of the formal and informal samples taken and submitted for analysis and of action
taken with regard to adulteration or other irregularities, appear later in this Report.
IMPORTED EGG PRODUCTS
During the year 456,994 cases, cartons and tins of imported egg products were landed at City
Wharves, a total of approximately 5,238 tons.
All shipments were immediately held under detention either for sampling for bacteriological
examination for pathogenic organisms of the Salmonella group capable of causing food poisoning,
or for arrangements to be made for undergoing an approved process of heat treatment.
Experiments had shown that crystal albumen could be sterilized by heating at a temperature
of 127° for 6% days, and a number of processing centres were established under the supervision
of the local Medical Officers of Health. Consignments of crystal albumen were immediately
released for submission to heat treatment at an approved centre, and check sampling only was
necessary, thus to some extent relieving the pressure on the Public Health Laboratory Service.
No satisfactory method of sterilization of the powdered and frozen product has been evolved,
although pasteurization appears to be a possible solution if the bakery and confectionery trade
can be persuaded to accept this as an alternative. Indications are that at present the pasteurised
product is not willingly acceptable, and it may well be that an educational campaign sponsored
by the producers will in time secure the acceptance by the trade of the safer pasteurised product.
Early in the year the Ministry of Health circulated to Medical Officers of Health a suggested
'modus vivendi' regarding the sampling of these egg products.
(1) All imported egg products should be detained for bacteriological examination.
(2) Powdered whole egg and yolk.
5% initial sampling. If any are found positive, a further 5-10% should be sampled.
If further positives are found detain the whole batch, but if second sampling is negative,
batch could be released and only the known positive cases detained.
(3) Frozen egg.
2% initial sampling of each batch. Any positive batches should undergo a second
5% examination. Release or condemnation would be the same as for powdered egg.
This procedure had been the practice in the City since sampling of this product became
necessary as mentioned in my Annual Report for 1956, and in my opinion was securing the best
practical results having regard to the difficulties of the problem.
As imports of this commodity arriving at City wharves steadily increased in volume it
became necessary for Mr. Sillett, the City Food Inspector, to have assistance for the taking of
samples, and arrangements were made for Mr. Marshall, Port Health Inspector, to co-operate with
Mr. Sillett when necessary.
A further problem was the inability of the Public Health Laboratory Service at Colindale to
cope with the increasing number of samples, and the Director of the County Hall Laboratory of
the service kindly offered to assist so far as possible. Eventually, in order that difficulties of
storage at the wharves might be avoided, the importers agreed to undertake some of the sampling
under the supervision of my officers, and to meet the cost of the bacteriological examinations
themselves.
A recent development has been the routing of shipments via the Free Port of Hamburg, and
their subsequent arrival in the Port of London accompanied by a certificate issued by the Hamburg
authorities that sampling had been carried out on the results of which the consignment was
passed as fit for human consumption.
After correspondence with the Health Authorities at Hamburg, who were as mystified as I
was as to the object of this manoeuvre, sampling was carried out on these shipments in the usual
way. The second of such cargoes - Chinese pasteurised dried whole hen egg — yielded three
positive results from eight samples, thus confirming the inadvisability of reliance upon such
certificates when dealing with this product.
11.