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
Stepney 1937
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Stepney]
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70
Ice Cream(including Ice Cream Mix and Dried Milk).—12 samples of
ice cream, 3 of ice cream mix and 2 of dried milk powder were examined.
The majority of the samples were unsatisfactory.(Results of the examinations
are shown in the table below). There is no bacteriological standard
by which ice cream can be judged. Rigorous inspection of premises where
ice cream is manufactured, stored or sold, together with the education of all
persons engaged in the handling of the product is essential. Compulsory
pasteurisation of the mix and sterilisation of all utensils used in the preparation
and storage of ice cream would considerably improve matters.
3 samples of ice cream mix were taken from a firm who manufacture and
sell ice cream mix in several parts of the country. The first two(B.424,
B.425) were unsatisfactory. Milk powder used in the manufacture was
suspected as being unsatisfactory and samples taken(B.426, C.493) proved
this. The manufacturer changed over to another supply and a subsequent
The manufacturer changed over to another supply and subsequent sample of ice cream mix containing milk powder from the new source was taken(C.494) and found to be satisfactory.
| Sample No. | Nature of Sample. | No. of bacteria per c.c. | Minimum amount showing Coliform bacilli. | Observations of Bacteriologist. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B.347 | Ice Cream. | 50,000 | 0.001 c.c. | Coliform content too high for cleanlines. |
| B.348 | do. | 40,000 | 0.01 c.c. | Ice Cream not of highest type. |
| B.388 | do. | 20,000 | 0.1 c.c. | do. |
| B.389 | do. | 15,000 | 0.01 c.c. | do. |
| B.396 | do. | 200,000 | 0.1 c.c. | Poor quality, bacteriologically. |
| B.397 | do. | 500,000 | Absent in 1 c.c. | Probably pasteurised primarily and deteriorated from age or handling. |
| C.429 | do. | Satisfactory. | do. | Example of a clean ice cream. |
| C.430 | do. | 500,000 | 0.001 c.c. | Of poor bacteriological quality and high coliform content. |
| C.457 | do. | 17,000 | 1 c.c. | Not a high count although not reaching highest standard. |
| C.492 | do. | 400,000 | 0.001 c.c. | Poor quality, bacteriologically. |
| B.535 | do. | 3 | Absent in 1 c.c. | Unusually good result. |
| B.536 | do. | 116,000 | do. | Very good bacteriological result. |
| B.424 | Ice Cream Mix. | 150,000 | 0.1 c.c. | Pasteurisation advisable if used for ice cream. |
| B.425 | do. | 125,000 | 0.1 c.c. | do. |
| C.494 | do. | 2,000 | Absent in 1 c.c. | High standard bacteriologically. |
| B.426 | Dried Milk Powder. | 80,000 grm. | Absent in 1 grm. | Pasteurisation advisable if used for ice cream. |
| C.493 | do. | 40,000 grm. | do. | Presumably large number of bacteria would be destroyed in pasteurisation. |
76 licences were issued under the Milk (Special Designations) Order,
1936, being 9 less than in the previous year, as follows:—
Dealer's Supplementary
Licences. Licences.
"Pasteurised" 35 13
"Tuberculin Tested" 22 6
Butchers' Shops and Stalls.—862 inspections were made during the year
and 3 notices were served for minor infringements of the Meat Regulations.