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Fifty-six samples of milk were examined to
check either bacterial cleanliness or the efficiency
of the heat-treatment process. Five of these samples,
from one supplier and being milk processed on the
same day, failed to satisfy the test as to adequate
heat-treatment. This test depends on the detection
and measurement of the enzyme phophatase, which is
always present in raw milk but destroyed at the
temperature necessary for effective pasteurisation.
Despite a thorough investigation no explanation was
found to account for the failure and all subsequent
samples from this supplier were satisfactory.
Five complaints were received concerning the
milk supply. One concerned the quality of the
milk alleging fat deficiency and was referred to the
Middlesex County Council as the Food and Drugs Authority.
Check samples were taken and were found to be of a proper
quality. Another complaint was that a bottle of
sterilised milk had a metallic flavour. This was
found to be due to the presence of certain organisms
which had probably gained access to the milk through
a defective cap. The three other complaints were of
milk supplied in dirty bottles. It was apparent in
each case that the bottles had been misused when in
circulation and had thereafter evaded the system of
inspection at the bottle-washing depots where such
bottles are usually subjected to special treatment or
taken out of use and destroyed. An appeal to the
public not to use milk bottles for other purposes and
to rinse them before returning them to the roundsman
was made by way of a display in the Town Hall kiosk.
WATER SUPPLY.
The water supply of the district is provided
by the Barnet District Water Company with the exception
of a few houses in the South Ward which are supplied
from the mains of the Metropolitan Water Board. The
supply was satisfactory both in quality and quantity,
and no complaints were received.
All the houses in the district have a piped
supply.
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