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87
FOOD HYGIENE.
The problem of food hygiene may be divided into two parts :
(a) the premises, and (b) the worker.
(a) The Premises.
Systematic inspection of all premises where food is prepared,
handled, stored or sold is carried out by Sanitary Inspectors to
ensure compliance with the Food and Drugs Act, 1938, the Clean
Food Byelaws and relevant legislation, and it is pleasing to record
that food traders in the Borough are co-operative in our endeavours
to raise the standard of food hygiene.
(b) The Worker.
The most important and most unpredictable factor in food
hygiene is the worker. Carefully designed and elaborate food
premises are not proof against the careless food handler, and many
outbreaks of food poisoning have been traced to premises which
were structurally satisfactory. Nevertheless this argument can
easily be exaggerated. It is possible to produce clean food in
unsatisfactory premises, but it is very difficult.
The education of the food handler is the greatest single step
that can be taken in producing cleaner food. No amount of
up-to-date equipment can prevent contamination of food if the staff
are not instructed in the elementary principles of hygiene. In this
respect children are receptive to learning and the almost universal
provision of school meals gives the education authority an excellent
opportunity to demonstrate the simple rules of personal cleanliness
in relation to the preparation and service of food.