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container and the waxed carton is still very strong but unless the public can be educated
to treat the glass bottle with greater care there would appear to be no alternative from the
disposable container or the occasional "dirty" bottle which a regular sampling programme
of washed bottles has shown to be sterile after it has passed through the washing process.
Only one complaint was received concerning the presence of a cigarette end in a
foodstuff but the food concerned was a packet of children's sweets and its presence
together with shreds of tobacco was most objectionable.
The number of complaints received concerning foodstuffs affected by mould was more
than twice as great as in 1970. A large percentage of these related to pre-packed cheese
where mould had occurred due to condensation having taken place on the inside surface of
the transparent film wrapper. It may well be that a choice will have to be made between the
hygienic presentation of cut cheese portions and the risk of occasional mould growth when
the cheese is displayed in a supermarket display where there is a possibility of temperature
variation.
In two cases, complaints concerning alleged adulteration of beer and spirits were unfounded
but in a third case a bottle of Vodka purchased from a supermarket late one
Saturday afternoon was found to be 100% water. Extensive enquiries failed to shed any
light on where the switch occurred. The seal on the bottle was intact.
The following list sets out the foodstuffs condemned during the year:Fresh
Food
Meat 2696lbs.
Fish 3 stone
351 lbs.
2—14 lb. boxes
Offal 339 lbs.
Poultry 369 lbs.
Canned Foods
Fruit/fruit juices 3057 cans
Meat 851 cans
Vegetables 1864 cans
Soups 187 cans
Milk 43 cans
Fish 594 cans
Milk Puddings 31 cans
Meat/puddings, pies 243 cans
Cream 94 cans
Jam 103 cans
Spaghetti/baked beans 44 cans
Unidentified 900 cans