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37
BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS

HAM. TINNED
During the Summer, a very large amount of tinned ham had to
be condemned as unsound, a matter which was the subject of a report to the
Public Health and Baths Committee on 2nd October, 1951.
At the time of the report, 1,210 lbs. of tinned ham had been
condemned as unfit for human consumption.
One of the factors of interest was in the different nature of defect
in different tins. Some showed signs of liquefaction only, other
liquefaction and gas, others no obvious change, but had offensive smelle
Another point about these hams was that they appeared quite normal but
might "blow" very rapidly in a few days.
The hams had come from most of the European countries, few having
any indication on the pack that they were not of a full-keeping quality.
Some indicated that they were perishable and should be kept under
refrigeration, but shopkeepers had no control over non-refrigerated
storage in wharves, in wholesale warehouses, or in transit, and no
refrigerated accommodation to store tinned hams in bulk.
Samples of different types were submitted to the Central Public
Health Laboratories for examination, which revealed that most of the tins
under examination contained bacteria, and it seemed, in many instances,
that the pickle used for curing had not retarded the multiplication of such
organisms.
Advice was given that these canned meat packs should not be
accepted unless clearly marked with directions as to the correct temperature
of storage and keeping time; there should be powers to enforce the
conditions for storage.