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inspector proved to be of excellent bacterial purity.
200 samples of various kinds of food were submitted to the Public Analyst for
examination.
With the ever-increasing variety of food and drugs appearing on the counter for
sale to the public, it is important that samples should include the new and littleknown
products as well as the traditional and well-tried variety, and by careful and
selective sampling, this end is achieved.
To avoid unnecessary duplication in the sampling of branded goods, close liaison
is maintained between neighbouring Pood and Drugs Authorities, and in this way a
general picture of the samples purchased over a fairly wide area is always available.
It is interesting to note that the first general pure food law to be made in this
or any country, which was "An Act for preventing the adulteration of Articles of Food
and Drink" celebrates its centenary next year. The whole process of food manufacture,
preservation and presentation for sale has naturally undergone radical change during
these years and the relevant legislation has been amended and strengthened accordingly.
The nature of food offences, intentional or otherwise, has also altered with the
passage of time, and, whereas prosecutions for the addition of water to milk, for
instance, were once commonplace, the problems which face the sampling officers today
may vary from the food label which misleads as to vitamin content, to a sample of
starch-reduced slices of slimming bread, which is not all that its manufacturer would
have the customer believe.
With regard to the samples taken during the year, 6 adverse reports were received
and reported to the Public Health Committee. Upon instructions from the Committee, the
attention of the manufacturers were drawn to 2 samples, the Ministry of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Food was notified of the results of one sample, the Committee asked for
no further action on the results of 2 samples, and legal proceedings were instituted
in one case, the result of which is included in the statistical section of the report
which also contains further information as to foodstuffs in respect of which condemnation
certificates were issued as a result of routine inspections of food premises.
Included in the list of condemned foodstuffs is 130 lbs. of desiccated coconut
which was the subject of information received from the Port and City of London, that
samples of this consignment taken on importation had revealed the presence of food
poisoning organisms and that part of the consignment had been delivered to a Leyton
baker.
Fortunately the coconut had not been used, and samples were submitted for examination.
These were also found to be infected and the coconut was voluntarily surrendered
by the baker and destroyed under the supervision of a Public Health Inspector.
During the year, 10 complaints regarding unsound and/or adulterated food were
investigated and reported to the Public Health Committee.
The hot summer weather seems to have had an influence on the type of complaint, as
all 10 incidents occurred between the months of May and September while the foods implicated
were those which are normally prone to complaints of this type i.e. Bread (5).
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