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THE FOOD HYGIENE (GENERAL) REGULATIONS, 1960
These Regulations consolidate and amend the Food Hygiene
Regulations 1955 to 1957 and provide the Statutory authority to
enforce reasonable standards of food hygiene in food premises and
in respect of food handlers.
Routine visits are made to all food premises with the object
of maintaining these standards and reference to the tabular statement
of works carried out will give some indication of the matters
to which attention is directed. Guidance and advice in preference
to legal sanction is the policy pursued in achieving the object but
in one case the threat of legal proceedings had the desired effect.
Codes of Practice relating to Hygiene in the Retail Meat and
Fish Trades and the Transport and Handling of these commodities
have been published on behalf of the Ministry of Health and the
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for the guidance of
persons in these trades. Copies of these Codes have been circulated
by the Council to the traders concerned.
During the year 25 complaints received in respect of contaminated
or unsound food were fully investigated. Warning
letters were sent in appropriate cases but in three instances it was
felt that the circumstances necessitated legal proceedings.
Two cases concerned the same baker in respect of a piece of
sponge rubber and a nail in two loaves of bread. The firm
admitted the offences and were fined £5 for the first offence and
£50 for the second with 8 guineas costs.
A dairy firm were fined £50 and 8 guineas costs in respect of
a piece of cardboard in a bottle of milk but the fine was reduced
to £15 on appeal.
Arising out of a complaint of pork pies sold by a local retailer
in a mouldy condition, the Council made representations to the
Food Manufacturers Federation Inc. with a view to securing in
lieu of the present coding system a system of marking with dates
of manufacture and periods during which such articles of food
may safely be assumed to be fit for human consumption.
It was considered by the Council that if this method of marking
were adopted it would afford the purchaser a greater degree
of protection from the possibility of being sold pies out of condition.
The Federation replied that for the various reasons set out,
date stamping of pies would not be a practical proposition and
this view was later reaffirmed at a meeting of Meat Pie Manufacturers.
The Federation pointed out that all manufacturers dispatched
their pies in "Factory Fresh" condition and that the onus
rested with the retailer to ensure meticulous stock rotation. It was
felt, however, that a number of retailers needed more education
and instruction in the care and handling of pies, and with this in
mind the Federation had decided to appoint a small Committee to
look into the possibility of drawing up a Code of Practice which
could be used as a guide to retailers in the future.
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