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vending of a standard quality article, and this time we were able to
identify the actual cows responsible. The farmer will, in his own
interests, gradually eleminate the offenders from the herd.
Beef and Pork sausages must contain at least 50% meat. A sample
of beef sausage was found to contain only 34% meat, with 27% filler (e.g.
rusk, bread) and 39% water. Legal proceedings ensued, and the
manufacturer-vendor was fined £5 0s. 0d. with £2 2s. 0d. costs.
All other samples taken proved to be genuine.
A few cases of milk delivered in dirty bottles were again brought
to our notice. The Public Health Committee fully investigated the
circumstances of each case, and being assured of the complete absence
of wilful neglect felt that the cases would be met by the issue of written
warning to the vendors.
Many articles of alleged unsound food are brought to the Public
Health Department during the course of a year. In some cases we are
able to take action; in others no action is possible, the complaint
being in no way justified, the food produced being quite fit for human
consumption, although perhaps not palatable to the purchaser.
One purchaser submitted a sample of fat labelled 'Pure Lard' and
complained of its bad taste. The purchase was made from premises in
an adjacent Borough, to whose Officers the matter was referred. Lard
is the fat of the pig, and we have had very little for many years, having to
be satisfied with the substitute 'cooking fat.' The sample was in fact,
wholesome and pure lard, and the consumer must have been so unused
to the taste as to question its soundness.
It was not necessary, on any occasion, formally to seize unsound
food, but nearly five tons of food was surrendered for destruction after
having been certified as unfit for human consumption by the Sanitary
Inspectors.
Manufacture and Sale of Ice Cream.
At the end of the summer season a report was given to the Health
Committee in regard to the sale and manufacture of Ice Cream within
the Borough.
With the exception of the Ice Cream (Heat Treatment) Regulations
1947, which made compulsory the 'pasteurisation' of all mixes (with
Minor exceptions) the powers of a Local Authority in regard to the
manufacture, storage and sale of this commodity have not been altered.
Each Authority has, for many years, been required to register, inspect,
and enforce specified hygienic control in all premises used, in one way or
another, in relation to Ice Cream. Certain Authorities (Beckenham is
one) have, by local Act, power to register persons as well as premises in
this connection.
There is no legal standard composition for Ice Cream. Almost any
frozen 'mix' may be called Ice Cream. The Food and Drugs Act, 1938,
defines it as "any similar commodity" and the Heat Treatment
Regulations as "including water ices and any article which is so similar
to ice Cream as to constitute a substitute therefor." So that it is quite
clear that whilst we may sympathise with the complaining purchaser
regarding the absence of nutritive and palatable value of certain sales,
we cannot demand anything better.
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