View report page

LIQUID EGG (PASTEURISATION) REGULATIONS, 1963
No samples of liquid egg were taken during the year. There are no pasteurising
plants in the Borough.
SAMPLING OF FOOD AND DRUGS
In addition to its functions as a "local authority" under the Food and Drugs
Act, 1955, the Council assumed the duties of a "food and drugs authority" on the
1st April, 1965, the latter duties having been performed formerly by the Middlesex
County Council. In order to carry out its food and drugs responsibilities the Council
was required to appoint a Public Analyst, and completed negotiations with the
Greater London Council for the appointment of Mr. W. B. Chapman, B.Sc., F.R.I.C.,
as Public Analyst, and Mr. E. H. W. J. Burden, B.Sc., F.R.I.C., as Deputy Public
Analyst. Both officers are members of the staff of the Department of the Scientific
Adviser of the Greater London Council. An annual block payment is made by the
Council for the analytical work carried out in the laboratories which are staffed and
equipped to undertake a wide variety of investigations. Apart from food and drugs
these include water pollution and sewage treatment, sampling of water from swimming
pools, examination of building materials for construction and maintenance, air
pollution, ventilation, noise and vibration, fire precautions, petroleum, fertilizers and
feeding stuffs, radiochemistry, and general supplies and services.
During the last nine months of 1965, 18 formal and 605 informal samples of food
and drugs were taken and submitted to the Public Analyst for examination. The
rate of sampling now reached (approximately three samples per 1,000 population per
annum) is that recommended by the Ministry of Health. Details of the variety of
samples taken and the number shown to be adulterated or irregular are given in
Table 16 on page 129.
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF FOOD AND DRUGS
Of the total of 623 samples of food and drugs taken or purchased in the Borough
during the year in accordance with the Food and Drugs Act, 1955, and submitted
to the Public Analyst for examination, 88 were found to be unsatisfactory.
Infringements of the many Regulations relating to food were mostly of a minor
character, and 50 were concerned with various labelling irregularities which are
given in detail in Table 17 on page 131. Cases worthy of mention where compositional
standards were not satisfied included angelica containing a prohibited colouring
agent; dried milk containing excess moisture; weights of individual drug tablets more
variable than was expected; unsatisfactory packaging of ground nutmeg resulting in
absorption of volatile oils and loss of flavour; meat pasties, meat pies, sausages and
hamburgers all with low meat content; prunes containing a prohibited preservative,
and canned cream with low fat content. All unsatisfactory results were discussed
with the manufacturers and importers concerned. In some cases, where commodities
had been imported, all available stocks were withdrawn and returned to the country
of origin. In other cases, manufacturers agreed to examine their methods in order
to bring their products up to at least minimum requirements.
In the examination of samples of meat which were found to contain excess mercury,
consideration was given to the level of mercury in meat which could be regarded as
free from any danger to health. This tentative standard was then applied in the
production of the meat concerned in order to remove all reasonable doubts of risk
to human health in its use as a food.
FOOD COMPLAINTS
During the year, 137 complaints about articles of food purchased by members
of the public were received in the Health Department, and all were examined and
94