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120
Milk Bottles
During the year eighteen complaints were received about milk bottles
and having regard to the number of bottles in daily circulation in the
Borough (at least 200,000) this indicates a very high standard of efficiency
at the bottling centres, from which milk being retailed in Harrow is
processed and handled.
The milk bottle, however, remains a problem and one dairy was so
perturbed about the condition of bottles being returned to them from a
particular establishment, that arrangements were made for cartoned milk
to be supplied. There is no doubt that the non-returnable container is the
answer to many of the problems associated with the milk bottle.
One matter of particular interest resulted from a complaint received
about the presence of a brownish deposit in bottles of Homogenised milk.
The deposit was invisible until the milk had been stored under refrigeration
for a period of twenty-four hours. Protracted investigations followed without
any definite conclusions being reached, but, ultimately specimen bottles
were supplied to the National Institute for Research in Dairying at Shenfield,
who found the deposit was, in fact, the effect of homogenisation on cell
and other tissue.
Consultations are now in hand with a view to plant being installed that
will remove these deposits.
ICE CREAM
The number of premises registered for the retailing of ice cream fell
during the year from 479 to 402. The majority of the premises registered
deal only in the prepacked product and most of the seventy-seven who
ceased trading were grocers.
The number of manufactureis remained at five.
Sampling
During the year 135 samples were taken and of these 104 were
reported as satisfactory, being either Grade I or Grade II. The 34 that were
reported as either Grade III or Grade IV (i.e. unsatisfactory) were all the
subject of further investigation.
A Grade IV report does not mean th?t the sample is unfit for human
consumption, but is an indication that somewhere either the required
standard of cleanliness is not being maintained or there is something wrong
with either the plant or materials.
If vendors operating from premises outside the district were involved,
then the Local Authority concerned was advised. In all of these cases,
follow-up samples were taken.
Ice Lollies were also sampled—all were satisfactory.
FOOD AND DRUGS ACT, 1955
During the year 1,165 samples of foodstuff, water, milk or drugs were
examined, and of this number 1,042 were found to be satisfactory. Misleading
descriptions or incorrect labelling accounted for the majority of
the unsatisfactory reports. In every one of these cases, on the attention of