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MEAT REGULATIONS - MARKING OF MEAT FOR EXPORT
During 1956 the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
agreed, on the application of the Council, to the Council's Meat
Inspectors marking meat inspected by them at the Garland Road
Abattoir and intended for export to Europe. The exporters
requested certificates indicating that each consignment of meat
was fit for human consumption. Small charges were made for the
issue of such certificates. During the year 636 beef carcases,
consisting mainly of cow beef, were inspected prior to export to
Belgium.
LICENSING OF SLAUGHTERHOUSES AND SLAUGHTERMEN
There are two licensed slaughterhouses in the Borough, one
being the Garland Road Abattoir through which large numbers of
animals pass each year. The other in Herbert Road is not being
used at the present time.
Eight slaughtermen's licences were issued by the Council during
the year to men working at the Garland Road Abattoir.
UNSOUND FOOD - COMPLAINTS
Several complaints of alleged unsound food sold to the public
were brought to the notice of the Department during the year. All
these complaints were fully investigated. In several instances
nothing was found to be wrong with the food. For instance, alleged
unfit pies were found to be fit, dirt on the inside of a milk
bottle was found to be marks on the bottle and canned fish and
sausage meat alleged to be bad were found fit.
However, in the majority of the cases the complaints were fully
justified. Some of the more serious complaints related to string
and maggots in bread, foreign matter in canned tomatoes, maggots in
chocolates, unfit cake, unsound prunes and unsound tinned fruit pie,
cement in a bottle of milk, unsound liver and oil in bread.
The food preparing premises were investigated and advice given
to food handlers where necessary.
In a number of instances where there was evidence of negligence
or carelessness, the Council decided to institute legal proceedings.
Proceedings were taken in respect of the following unsound
foods glass splinters in milk (two complaints), fines totalling
£20, with £5.5.0d. costs a washer in a currant scone - fined
£5 with £1.1.0d. costs; cardboard in a bottle of milk - fined £5
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