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22
Milk.
There are 81 registered premises from which milk is sold and 15 milk roundsmen operate in the
Borough from shops or depots elsewhere.
During the year, 260 applications under the Milk (Special Designation) (Raw Milk) Regulations,
1949-1954, and the Milk (Special Designation) (Pasteurised and Sterilised Milk) Regulations, 1949-1953
were received.
Details are given in Table 22, page 38.
The average composition of the 77 genuine samples of milk analysed was : total solids 12.40 per
cent. ; fat 3.70 per cent. ; solids not fat 8.69 per cent. ; as compared with the legal minima, namely,
11.50 per cent. ; 3.00 per cent. ; and 8.50 per cent. respectively.
Twelve samples of milk taken at the premises of two authorised wholesale firms operating heat
treatment plants were submitted to the tests prescribed for the various designations; all were
reported to be satisfactory. Other samples of milk examined by the Council's Bacteriologist
numbered 60 and all were found to comply with the requisite standards.
Ice-Cream.
Five premises are registered for the manufacture of ice-cream and 228 for sale and storage. Details
of the classes of premises are given in Table 23, page 38. Seventeen samples of ice-cream were examined
by the Council's Bacteriologist, with the following results : Grade 1—14 ; Grade II—3 ; seventeen
samples submitted for chemical analysis were also reported to be satisfactory.
Preserved Food.
There are 101 premises registered for the preparation or manufacture of sausages or potted, pressed,
pickled or preserved food intended for sale ; regular inspections were made and informal action was
taken to remedy unsatisfactory conditions found from time to time. Details of the classes of premises
registered are given in Table 23, page 38.
Catering Establishments.
There are in the Borough 1,077 premises of this type, details of which appear in Table 24, page 39.
During the year, 2,237 inspections were made and 43 informal notices served. Whilst some proprietors
and staff of these establishments show a growing realisation of the need for good hygiene, there were,
unfortunately, many instances of failure to maintain satisfactory standards within a short period of
such standards having been achieved by some special effort. Constant supervision by the Public Health
Inspectors is therefore necessary.
Wholesale and Retail Food Premises.
There are 621 of these premises, excluding catering establishments, details of which appear in
Table 24, page 39. During the year, 2,130 inspections were made and 62 informal notices served.
Food Stalls.
During the year food was sold from 92 licensed stalls in street markets in the Borough and regular
inspections were made for compliance with the requirements relating to stalls in the Food Hygiene
Regulations and the London County Council Byelaws for the Protection of Food.
Hygiene in Food Premises—New Materials.
One of the special difficulties of the occupiers of the older food premises is keeping them clean,
for the daily woman cleaner has deserted them in this west-end area for the more rewarding work of
dusting around the new blocks of offices and smart showrooms. For this reason alone it is more than
ever important that all surfaces in food premises should be easy to clean.
Unfortunately with the ever-growing variety of materials claiming to meet these needs and thus
to improve hygiene, it is not surprising that the availability of so many alternatives may lead to
bewilderment, and good intentions sometimes end in disappointing results.
As examples, failure is frequently due to the choice of a type of wall board which, although having
an impervious surface, proves less durable than others ; to fixing wall boarding to battens spaced too
far apart; or to the use of adhesives which are unsuitable because their effective life is short.