View report page

Under the provisions of the Middlesex County Council Act, 1950, all hawkers
of food must be licensed by the local authority. In all cases the vehicle and food
storage arrangements are inspected and must be satisfactory before a licence is
granted.
There are 44 persons licensed as hawkers of food by the council.
In accordance with the provisions of the Ice-cream (Heat Treatment, etc.)
Regulations, 1959, a total of 33 samples of loose or soft ice-cream was submitted
to the public health laboratory for bacteriological examination. The 15 samples
falling within the grades III or IV as determined by the methylene blue test are
considered unsatisfactory.
After advice to traders on proper methods of sterilising equipment and utensils,
satisfactory results were obtained.
Pre-packed ice-cream is now in the hands of two large national manufacturers
who exercise strict quality and hygiene control and it is generally agreed to be one
of the safest foods on the market.
Emphasis in sampling is placed, therefore, on the individual manufacturers
of loose ice-cream from the continuous extruder type of machine.
Food Poisoning
This aspect of food control is described in the section of this report on the
Prevalence and Control of Infectious Diseases.
Milk, Dairies and Cream Substitutes
The Milk (Special Designations) Specified Areas Order, 1951, restricts the sale
of milk by retail in this borough to the designated milks, i.e. Pasteurised, Sterilised,
Ultra Heat Treated and Untreated.
The Milk (Special Designation) Regulations 1963/65 prescribe the specific
tests for these milks and require any person carrying out the production, treatment,
storage, or distribution of such milks to be licensed, and to comply with all the
relevant provisions in these regulations and the Milk and Dairies (General) Regulations,
1959.
At the end of 1967 the number of producers licensed in the borough was four.
The licences are issued by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food through
the County Agricultural Executive Committees. All other milk licences are issued
by the Local Food and Drugs Authority, in this case the London Borough of
Enfield.
There are two establishments in the borough licensed for the treatment of
milk to provide Pasteurised and Sterilised milks. Fifteen premises were licensed
87