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THE MEAT (STAINING AND STERILISATION) REGULATIONS, 1960
Inspections were carried out at all pet food stores to ensure that any unfit
meat from slaughterhouses or meat from Knackers' yards on sale had been sterilised, or
stained with an approved green dye in accordance with the Regulations. In each case
it was found, however, that the fresh meat on sale was either horseflesh fit for
human consumption coming from slaughterhouses where the carcases had been properly
inspected and passed as fit for human consumption by a Public Health Inspector, or
frozen horseflesh imported from abroad and accompanied by a Veterinary Certificate
approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Pood.
26 samples of sterilised dehydrated meat were taken for bacteriological examination.
24 were satisfactory but 2 were found to contain food poisoning organisms, to
which the attention of the Medical Officers of Health of the districts in which the
dehydrated meat was prepared was drawn. The introduction of contaminated pet food
can easily lead to an outbreak of food poisoning in a household. The housewife
frequently handles the pet meat, and utensils and knives contaminated by the pet
meat may later be used to prepare human food. Preparation is also often carried
out in the kitchen where the sink or the draining board may become contaminated and
pet foods have also been found stored in a household refrigerator alongside human
food. Owners of pets would be well-advised to keep pet meat, whether fresh or dehydrated,
separate from human food at all times, prepare it with utensils kept for
that purpose in a place where domestic food does not enter, and to wash their hands
thoroughly afterwards.
I am indebted to Mr. John O' Keefe, O.B.E., Chief Officer, Public Control Department,
Middlesex County Council for the following report on the work carried out by
his Department in the Borough of Hendon in the sampling of food and drugs and in the
administration of the Merchanidse Marks Acts, 1887 - 1953 and the Labelling of Food
Order, 1953.
POOD AND DRUGS SAMPLING