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5. FO0d HYGIENE. The Fo0d and Drugs Act, 1955, came
into operation on the 1st January, 1956. It is described as an Act to
consolidate the Fo0d and Drugs Act, 1938, the Fo0d and Drugs
(Milk, Dairies and Artificial Cream) Act, 1950, and the Fo0d and
Drugs Amendment Act, 1954, together with certain other enactmencs
amending and supplementing Part V of the Act of 1938, in relation
to slaughterhouses and knackers' yards. All the older Acts are repealed
by the new Act.
One important feature of the Act is the power of the Minister
Under Section 13 to make regulations as to fo0d hygiene. After a
go0d deal of consultation with representatives of both local authorities
and the fo0d trade, the Fo0d Hygiene Regulations, 1955, were made
and came into operation on the 1st January, 1956, except for certain
regulations which did not become operative until the 1st July, 1956.
These Regulations are a great advance on any powers previously
possessed by local authorities relating to fo0d hygiene.
The main object of the Regulations is to reduce the incidence
of fo0d poisoning and there is no doubt that the studied observance
of the Regulations by all persons engaged in the fo0d trades could
attain this end.
A large number of inspections of fo0d premises has been made
including school canteens and of all premises belonging to the
Corporation where refreshments are sold to the public. The Health
Committee was authorised by the Council to explore fully the
implications and implementation of the new Regulations so that
standards could be laid down which, while they were to be applied in
the first instance to Corporation properties, would also act as a guide
in all other cases so far as they were applicable. In the first place
the Town Clerk submitted to the Committee a comprehensive report
on the legal requirements of the Regulations and this was followed by
a joint report of the Medical Officer of Health, the Borough Engineer
and the Chief Public Health Inspector, on the requirements to bring
all Corporation property up to the requisite standard, the advantages
and disadvantages of materials used in kitchen equipment, e.g., stainless
steel, glazed stoneware, galvanised iron, vitreous enamel, plastics,
teak, etc., together with alternative estimates of costs. Experience
shows that stainless steel is one of the best materials where continuous
and heavy use is to be expected, and despite its higher initial cost is
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