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13
Labelling and Advertising Infringements
The Public Control Department also carried out a considerable amount of work in the County, which
indirectly protected the residents of Willesden, by challenging labelling and advertising claims made in respect
of nationally retailed articles of food.
Several manufacturers of instant coffee were required to designate the ingredients on the labels.
The manufacturers of 'non-alcoholic wine' amended the label on his product to 'non-alcoholic beverage'. An
importer corrected claims in his advertising literature on the 'vitamin concentration' of a slimming food. A
manufacturer who claimed 'slimming properties' for a reducing product subsequently withdrew it. A manufacturer
who made slimming claims for lemon juice modified a television advertisement. A manufacturer
made modifications to the labels of several brands of canned chicken where they did not indicate that the
contents were chicken in jelly or broth.
As a result of a complaint, the manufacturer of a soft drink modified the ingredients to prevent
phenolic contamination arising from chemical reaction between chlorinated water and the phenol formaldehyde
stopper.
Milk and Dairies Regulations—Issue of Licences
The Milk (Special Designation) Regulations, 1960, which transferred the issue of dealers licences from
the borough council to the Middlesex County Council as from the 1st January, 1961, extended the period for
which these licences are granted from one year to five years. 141 licences were issued to distributors of
pasteurised, tuberculin tested and sterilised milk during the year. Ill samples of milk were obtained to
ensure that heat treatment and storage were properly carried out; all were satisfactory.
The County Council continue to licence the three premises within the borough where milk is processed.
88 inspections of premises were made to ensure compliance with the Regulations.
Milk and Dairies Regulations—Other Provisions
Milk sales are regulated by the Food and Drugs Act, 1955, the Milk and Dairies (General) Regulations,
1959, and the Milk (Special Designation) Regulations, 1960.
Willesden has been a specified area since October, 1951; all milk sold by retail is sterilised, pasteurised
or tuberculin tested; the sale of raw milk is prohibited.
The provisions of paragraph 6 of Part II of the Second Schedule to the Milk (Special Designation)
Regulations, 1960, restricted the bottling of milk to the three premises in the borough where the milk is pasteurised.
These Regulations transferred the issue of dealers' licences from the borough council to the food and
drugs authority for the area, the Middlesex County Council.
104 persons are registered by the Council to trade as distributors and three premises are registered
as dairies. Illirty-seven inspections were made of the three dairies; the seven defects found were quickly
remedied.
228 samples of milk were submitted for bacteriological examination (see Table 9).
Three dirty milk bottles were reported by the public and one by another local authority. The Council
issued official cautions in respect of 3 and referred the fourth to the local authority in whose district the milk
was bottled.
FACTORY INSPECTION
There was a slight increase in the total number of factories in the borough compared with the previous
year (Table 40).
The Council supervise sanitary conveniences in all factories and, in addition, cleanliness, overcrowding
temperature, ventilation and drainage of floors in non-power factories. Details of inspections and notices
served, defects found and remedied, are given in Tables 40, 41. Most of the notices were served for minor
defects and were complied with without legal action.
Basement bakehouses
The local authority is responsible for the supervision of basement bakehouses under the Factories
Act, 1937. Basement bakehouse is defined as a bakehouse any baking room of which is so situated that the
surface of the floor is more than three feet below the surface of the footway of the adjoining street or of the
ground adjoining or nearest to the room. A baking room is defined as any room used for baking or for the
process incidental thereto. Any basement bakehouse which is not used for twelve months cannot be used
again.
Certificates of suitability are issued under section 54 of the Factories Act, 1947, to the occupiers of
basement bakehouses, and have to be reconsidered by the Council every five years. Provided the bakehouse
is still suitable as regards construction, height, light, ventilation and any hygienic respect, the certificate must
be renewed. In 1958 six certificates were renewed but one bakehouse has now been demolished and another
is no longer used.
Outworkers and homeworkers
In February and August of each year factory owners send to the local authority lists of names and
addresses of all persons who have worked at home for them during the previous six months on certain jobs.
256 were employed during the year, the largest number, 168, altering and making clothing. Public health
inspectors inspect these workers' homes and notices were served in respect of two found to be unsatisfactory
(Table 42).