View report page

53
OTHER FOODS
Food Condemned.
During the year 5,763 pounds of food were found to be unfit and
had to be destroyed. Fresh meat and offals accounted for 3,238 pounds;
canned meat 435 pounds; canned vegetables 1,394 pounds; canned fruit
533 pounds and groceries 162 pounds.
Breakdowns of refrigerator units at various shops necessitated the
destruction of 3,275 items of frozen food. These items included almost the
entire range of frozen foodstuffs that are avilable today. In addition 104
dozen chilled eggs were destroyed as unfit.
Food Complaints.
Fifty-four complaints were received about the unsound state of food
stuff or about the presence of foreign matter in food and I feel this comparatively
small number reflects well on the standards of hygiene that are
maintained in the food factories, in food preparing rooms and in the
retail shops. Bearing in mind that there are between sixty to seventy
thousand units of accommodation within the Borough and that on behalf
of the occupants of each one of these food stuff is purchased everyday of
each year, the number of complaints is very small indeed. No doubt there
were many other cases which were referred back to either the shop or
factory by the customer but making due allowance for these the tonnage
of food entering the 70,000 units of accommodation within the Borough
must be considerable and the percentage giving rise to complaints is very
small indeed.
Of the 54 complaints 18 were about bread, 7 were about cakes and
iced confectionery, 12 involved meat pies, 13 tinned or packet goods, 3
dried fruit and 1 an alcoholic beverage. All these complaints were investigated
and action was taken with a view to preventing, if possible a
repetition of the trouble. In four cases Court action was considered to be
necessary. The action taken in the Courts followed a nail, insects and
grease being found in bread. Fines totalling £30 plus 16 gns. costs were
imposed. In addition Court Action was taken as a result of a pork pie
containing mould being sold. In this case a fine of £10 was imposed and
10 gns. costs were awarded.