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 1971
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bromley]
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91
FOOD COMPLAINTS
There was again an increase in the number of complaints
received regarding alleged unsatisfactory items of food. The 161
complaints were 31 in excess of last year's total, the largest increase
being in respect of milk contained in bottles which,
although subjected to mechanical washing and sterilization, still
had traces of staining on the inside or contained adherent or
loose foreign matter.
All complaints were fully investigated and whilst 17% were
unjustified, the remainder were dealt with by the issue of written
warnings, or by prosecution.
The complaints came within the following categories: —
| Alleged condition | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign Bodies, Dirty, etc. | Mouldy | Other Conditions | |
| Bread and flour confectionery | 27 | 13 | 1 |
| Tinned foodstuffs | 11 | — | 5 |
| Perishable articles (pies, sausages, etc.) | 7 | 13 | 1 |
| Milk, cream and milk bottles | 37 | — | 2 |
| Chocolate and sugar confectionery | — | — | 1 |
| Cereals | 2 | — | — |
| Preserves | 1 | — | — |
| Miscellaneous | 19 | 2 | 14 |
| Butter | 1 | 1 | — |
| Cheese | — | 3 | — |
Foreign bodies identified in the specimens were: —
Bread and flour confectionery: Pieces of rubber, glass, wire,
string, paper, bakehouse char, slivers of wood.
Tinned Foodstuffs: Pieces of plastic strip, metal, animal hide
and hair, insects and finger bandage.
Pies, Sausages, etc: Part of an animal tooth, piece of fur,
insects and a metal nail.
Milk and Milk Bottles: Cement, insects, piece of wire, stains
on internal surfaces of bottles.
Cereals: Small pieces of metal in breakfast food.
Preserves: Maggot in jam.