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14
The average composition of the 82 samples of milk analysed was: total solids, 12.34%; fat, 3.53%;
solids not fat, 8.81%. Xo sample was found to be below the legal minima, namely, 11.50%, 3.00%
and 8.50% respectively.
At the request of the Ministry of Food, 154 samples of milk, taken at the premises of two authorised
wholesale firms operating heat-treatinent plants, were submitted to the tests preslcribed for the
various designations. The Ministry's Area Milk Officer was adv'sed of the results which showed
that four samples of pasteurised milk were unsatisfactory under the phosphatase test and that nine
samples of pasteurised milk and one sample of sterilised milk were unsatisfactory according to the
methylene blue test. Of thirty-two other samples of milk examined bacteriologically all hut two
samples of pasteurised milk, which failed to pass the methylene blue test, were found to comply with
the requisite standards.
Butter and Margarine Premises.—At the end of the year there were on the register 15 dealers in
margarine and 2 butter manufacturers. Twenty-six inspections were made.
Ice Cream.—The number of premises on the register was 108, and 162 inspections were made. Three
samples of ice cream were examined bacteriologically and found to be satisfactory. Legal proceedings
were instituted in one case in relation to the storage of ice cream on unregistered premises, the
defendants being fined a total of £4 0s. Od.
Although under Section 14 of the Food and Drugs Act, 1938, there is a general requirement that
premises used for the sale of ice cream or for the manufacture or storage of ice cream intended for sale
must be registered by the local authority, certain classes of premises are specifically excluded bv
Sub-section 7 of Section 14. Thus the requirement does not apply at all to premises used primarily
as a club, hotel, inn or restaurant, whilst in relation to premises used as a theatre, music hall or concert
hall, registration is only necessary where manufacture for sale takes place.
There are large numbers of restaurants and cafes in the Borough selling ice cream and many are
believed to be manufacturing ice cream or are in the process of applying for an allocation of raw
materials for that purpose. These premises require supervision under the provisions of the Ice
Cream (Heat Treatment) Regulations, 1947, but the administrative difficulties are greatly increased
by the absence of registration.
Under Section 14 of the Food and Drugs Act, 1938, "premises" and not "persons" are registered.
By definition the term "premises" does not include any vehicle, barrow, tricycle, or the like, and
the requirements of the Section consequently do not apply to itinerant vendors. This omission again
makes adequate supervision extremely difficult.
The Council therefore brought the matter to the notice of the Metropolitan Boroughs' Standing
Joint Committee with a view to their taking steps to secure amendment of existing legislation so as
to provide for the registration of all premises used for the manufacture, storage or sale of ice cream
and of all vendors of this commodity. The Standing Joint Committee subsequently supported the
Council's views and made representations accordingly to the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Food.
Preserved Food.—At the end of 1947, 107 premises were registered for the preparation or manufacture
of preserved foods (sausages mainly) intended for sale, and 256 inspections were made.
Fried Fish Vendors and Fish Curers.—The number of premises used by vendors of fried fish is 9 and by
fish curers 3. Twenty-four inspections of fried fish shops and 18 inspections of fish curers' premises
were carried out. One application for registration of premises for the purpose of smoking fish was
refused on grounds of unsuitability.
Bakehouses.—There are 19 basement bakehouses on the register; 26 inspections were made.
Restaurants, etc.—Premises in which meals are provided or food is sold already cooked or is prepared
for sale numbered 634, including 287 restaurants, dining rooms and clubs, 42 hotels, 196 canteens
and 109 snack bars: 970 inspections were made and 131 notices served. In view of the increasing
number of eating places in the Borough and the demand of the public health service for a far higher
hygienic standard in the preparation and serving of food—a demand reinforced in recent times by a
more enlightened public opinion—a woman Sanitary Inspector (Mrs. Tiplady) was appointed on the
1st September, 1947, to devote the whole of her time to this important work.
Unsound Food.—Some 25 tons of food condemned as unfit for human consumption included the
following: meat, 3 tons, 4 cwts. 2 qtrs. 5 lbs.; fish, 1 ton, 6 cwts. 3 qtrs. 7 lbs.; fruit, 1 ton, 9 cwts.
3 qtrs. 2 lbs.; vegetables, 2 qtrs. 8 lbs.: cereals, 1 ton, 11 cwts. 1 qtr. 13 lbs.; canned goods, 25,332
tins; miscellaneous, 18 cwts. 5 qtrs. 10 lbs. Practically all this unsound food was salvaged and diverted
to other uses.