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ICE CREAM.
The Ice Cream (Heat Treatment, etc.) Regulations came into
operation on 1st May, 1947. There are 87 premises registered to
sell ice cream and 10 premises to manufacture ice cream in ihis
Borough.
A method of grading ice cream was initiated in 1947 ; it was
not considered a legal standard with which statutory compliance
should be demanded. The tests are a simple and practicable
method for grading ice cream according to the degree of bacterial
cleanliness. On experience the tests have proved to be reliable
and give a reasonably fair indication of bacteriological contamination.
When unsatisfactory samples, manufactured outside Bromley,
are obtained, there is complete co-operation with the Health
Departments concerned who are notified immediately, and, in
consequence, there has been a noticeable improvement.
It is significant that pathogenic organisms have not been
cultivated in any sample since the inception of the tests in 1947.
Week-end samples have been taken from itinerant dealers.
Some of these dealers only sell in this district on Sundays, and
the Department has no prior knowledge of their visits or sites
from which sales take place.
It will be observed from the tabulations of samples and
results that there is a marked improvement in the bacteriological
quality of ice cream sold in Bromley since 1947—in Grades I. and
II. from 42.4% to 78.5%, and there being a reduction in Grade III.
from 23.3% to 13.7%, and Grade IV. from 34.3% to 7.8%.
There is no legal chemical standard, and, in consequence,
ice cream sold has a varying food value. It is hoped that
eventually there will be a prescribed standard for a minimum
content for fat and solids not fat.
96 samples of ice cream were submitted; the lowest fat
content was 2.4% and the highest 15.35%.
27 Chocolate Ice Cream samples showed lowest fat content
4.7% and highest 36.4%. The reason for high fat content is that
the chocolate coating contains fat.