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21
INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD.
Mxlk. The number of milk premises on the register on the 31st December
was 56. The standard of the milk supply was satisfactory ; practically all the
milk distributed in Woolwich is heat treated.
All the 334 samples submitted for chemical analysis contained 3 per cent, or
more of fat. The Public Analyst has furnished the following figures, showing
the percentage of fat found in each sample of milk submitted during 1948, with
comparative figures for 1947 :—
Number of Samples.
1948. 1947.
4.5 per cent, and over 0 0
4 per cent, and under 4.5 per cent. 2 4
3.5 per cent, and under 4 per cent. 102 157
3 per cent, and under 3.5 per cent. 230 102
Below 3 per cent. 0 0
334 263
He states that the average fat content of the milk samples is lower for the
year under review than normally ; this is due to the large number of milk samples
taken during the April-June quarter, the period when the fat content of milk naturally
falls to its lowest level (124 in April-June, compared with 57 in October-December).
The phosphatase test for adequate heat treatment was satisfied in 160 samples,
and the methylene blue test for the keeping quality of milk in 52 samples. Only
1 sample failed to satisfy the phosphatase test, the methylene blue test being
satisfied in all cases.
Under the Milk (Special Designations) Regulations, 21 Principal and 21 Supplementary
licences were granted. Of the Principal licences, 1 was in respect of a
pasteurising establishment; 1 was for a pasteurising bottling establishment;
1 for a tuberculin tested bottling establishment; 8 were dealers' licences for the
sale of pasteurised milk ; and 10 were dealers' licences for the sale of tuberculintested
milk. The Supplementary licences consisted of 11 for the sale of pasteurised
milk and 10 for the sale of tuberculin-tested milk.
Meat Supplies. The one slaughterhouse in use in the Borough during the
year is under contract to the Ministry of Food and, due to the concentration of
slaughtering at these premises, the equivalent of the full-time services of more than
three Inspectors was required for the inspection of carcases. Compared with the
previous year, some 9,839 more carcases were inspected in 1948.
Due to a change in the method of slaughtering, the flow of carcases is now much
more rapid as compared with pre-war and the arrival of the beasts for slaughter
is irregular. As all carcases must be inspected within a reasonable time of killing,
the staff were frequently kept late on duty. The work has been further increased
by the fact that the grade of bovine animals slaughtered is much below that of the
pre-war quality, necessitating an even more detailed inspection.