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Several complaints concerned imported foods and correspondence with the
manufacturers’ agents was followed by correspondence with the appropriate
Embassy or High Commissioner’s Office. One complaint concerned a tin of fruit
salad which externally was apparently normal. When opened the can was found
to contain fruit salad but in addition an unexpected ingredient — a layer of beans.
The explanation for the presence of the beans became more difficult when the
manufacturers explained that no vegetables are handled at the canning factory
where the fruit salad is packed.
Most of the complaints concern mouldy foods and much of this is due to
unsatisfactory stock rotation in the purveyors’ premises. Many purveyors fail to
code their goods and this is particularly important in the self-service stores where
customers may remove articles and subsequently return them to the shelves out
of rotation.
A number of complaints are received concerning the unsatisfactory condition
of milk bottles. The number is extremely small when related to the vast number
delivered within the Borough every day, but the dairies have a responsibility to
ensure that food is delivered to the consumer in a sound and wholesome condition.
Regrettably, milk bottles receive considerable misuse by some members of the
general public, particularly casual purchasers who leave them lying around for
long periods and use them for substances which should never be placed in milk
bottles. It would be an advantage to all concerned if the sale of milk to casual
purchasers was limited to milk in non-returnable cartons.
Routine sampling of cooked meats, which are highly perishable and a common
cause of food poisoning, was carried out.
A total of 40 samples from grocers’ and butchers’ shops was examined bacteriologically
and a general picture of hygienic standards began to emerge.
Two samples were excellent (no bacterial growth), five were good (up to
10,000 organisms/grm.), eight were fair (up to 100,000 organisms/grm.) and 25 were
poor (over 1,000,000 organisms/grm.).
In the shops where “good” or “excellent” results were obtained it was noted
at the time of sampling that the staff were adept at slicing the meat without handling
it in any way and a regular sterilising and cleaning routine was used for utensils.
Advice on handling and cleansing procedures was given in all cases where a
fair or poor result was obtained.
A national scheme, instituted by the Local Authority Associations, for the
testing of foodstuffs for the presence of residues of pesticides and other toxic
chemicals used in agriculture and storage, commenced towards the end of the year.
England and Wales have been divided into seven zones for the survey and in
the Greater London zone, No. 1, 23 authorities including Enfield will submit 432
samples in a 12-months period.
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