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offence of this nature committed by the contractor concerned the County Council sent
him an official caution. The other sample not satisfactory was of frozen peas which
were found on examination to contain a small ball of clay. The clay appeared to have
been overlooked in the cleaning and screening process to which the peas were subjected
before being placed in the packet, and since the firm supplying has an excellent record,
a letter of warning was sent to them.
In addition to samples purchased, a total of 423 labelled stacks and displays of
fish, meat, apples, and various types of citrus fruit and soft fruit, were examined in the
shops. Formal samples are selectively procured from retail shops based on these
examinations of labelled displays of natural foods, where there is doubt as to the
accuracy of the label or where there is need for further examination. The Inspectors
of the Public Control Department have over a number of years acquired a considerable
expertise in the identification of cuts of meat and of varieties of fish and fruit.
New Regulations dealing with emulsifiers and stabilisers in food, and new Regulations
dealing with preservatives in food were introduced in 1962, together with an
amended Food Standard relating to table jellies. The effect of the Regulations dealing
with emulsifiers and stabilisers and with preservatives is to define and limit the
additives which are permitted and (in the case of preservatives), to extend the range
of foods and the types of preservatives which are allowed, but nevertheless closely
limiting the quantities of such preservatives. No infringement arising from the new
Regulations was reported during the year.
Merchandise Marks Act, 1887-1953:
Inspections are carried out under the above Acts to ensure that the requirements
of the various Marking Orders relating to the indication of origin of imported foodstuffs
are applied. Inspections were made at 143 premises, and a total of 645 displays were
examined. Only minor breaches of the Orders were disclosed and were dealt with by
warnings. Under the provisions of the Merchandise Marks Act, 1887, it is an offence
to apply a false trade description to goods. For displaying, marked "Danish," bacon
from Northern Ireland a Finchley grocer was given a conditional discharge on payment
of five guineas towards the costs. For describing as "English" bacon from Poland
another grocer was sent an official caution.
Safe Milk:
Fifty samples of raw milk were procured in the Borough and tested for the
presence of tubercle bacilli. All were satisfactory.
Thirty-one samples of pasteurised or sterilised milk were procured from retailers
and tested to ascertain whether or not pasteurisation or sterilisation had been correctly
performed. No failure was reported. Nine inspections of premises at which milk is
pasteurised were carried out during the year to ensure that the dairies concerned
conformed to the requirements of the Milk (Special Designation) Regulations, 1960.
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