London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Bromley 1965
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bromley]
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86
INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOODS
Routine sampling of food and drugs is a constant process and
several technical infringements were drawn to the attention of
manufacturers. In addition to the more usual foodstuffs and drugs
examined, specimens of dried and liquid eggs are tested for the
presence of food poisoning organisms and raw milk, sold in the
District, for the presence of the bacillus giving rise to the disease
Brucellosis.
More unusual incidents included the examination of imported
"coolers" to see if the liquid contained was sterile; the examination
of fluorescent toys, included in packets of breakfast cereal, for
radiation and the supervision of a consignment of ground nuts which
came into the District and which contained aflatoxin. This is a
dangerous product which may form naturally in ground nuts and
the foodstuff in this case was eventually manufactured for use as
animal feed stuff.
FOOD AND DRUGS ACT, 1955 FOOD SAMPLING
Letters in parenthesis are referred to on page 88
| Article | No. Examined | No. Unsatisfactory | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formal | Informal | Formal | Informal | ||
| Baby Food | — | 3 | — | — | |
| Baking Powder | — | 1 | — | — | |
| Beetroot | — | 1 | — | — | |
| Blancmange Powder | — | 1 | — | — | |
| Brandy | 1 | — | — | — | |
| (h) | Bread and Bread Rolls | — | 12 | — | 8 |
| Butter | — | 3 | — | — | |
| (r) | Cake | — | 3 | — | 2 |
| Celery Salt | — | 1 | — | — | |
| (l) | Cereal and Cereal Products | — | 30 | — | 1 |
| (o) | Cheese Products | — | 4 | — | 1 |
| Cheese Spread | — | 5 | — | — | |
| (i) | Chocolate Confectionery | — | 9 | — | 1 |
| Chocolate Flavoured Drink | — | 1 | — | — | |
| Chutney | — | 1 | — | — | |
| Cocktail Cherries | — | 1 | — | — | |
| Coffee | — | 2 | — | — | |
| Coffee and Chicory Essence | — | 2 | — | — | |
| Coffee Extract | — | 3 | — | — | |
| Colouring Matters | — | 5 | — | — | |
| (d) | Corned Beef | — | 6 | — | 1 |
| (n) | Cream | — | 13 | — | 1 |
| (q) | Crumpets | — | 1 | — | 1 |
| Dehydrated Vegetables | — | 2 | — | — | |
| Dessicated Coconut | — | 2 | — | — | |
| (f) | Dried Fruit— | — | 28 | — | 2 |
| Dried Vegetables | — | 3 | — | — | |
| Drugs | — | 29 | — | — | |
| Fish Products (including tinned fish) | — | 22 | — | — | |