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46
Ice Cream (Cont/d.)
Of the 10 samples placed in Grade IV, 9 were of icecream
produced outside the borough.
The colour test referred to above is not suitable for
the examination of flavoured and coloured ice-cream, or of
chocolate covered ices The dyes and the chocolate interfere with
the operation of the test and accordingly any such samples are
submitted to the Plate Count and are examined for the presence
of B, Coli as alternative tests. Five samples were thus
examined, and in two instances unsatisfactory reports were
received.
(g) MEAT AND OTHER FOODS.
(i) Slaughterhouses. There are no licensed slaughterhouses
in the borough.
(ii) Meat Depot. There are no changes to record in the
arrangements for the distribution of meat in this area® The
Ministry of Food Meat Depot in Wood Street, serves the needs of
the Boroughs of Barnes, Kingston, Maiden and Coombe, Richmond,
Surbiton and Wimbledon, and the Urban District of Esher.
Having regard to the wide are involved, it will be understood
that a very large amount of meat, including offals, passes
through this depot each week. The quantity distributed during
1947 was approximately 11,000 tons.
The inspection of this food requires daily visits, but
apart from one period in the year when, owing to a strike, a
considerable quantity of meat and offals remained overlong at
the Depot, the amount of food condemned as unsound is very
small, when compared with the total quantity handled,,
On the occasion of the strike, the meat and offals
remained in the closed Depot until arrangements were made for
distribution by the Military Authorities. By this time, there
was some deterioration in the condition of the meat, all of
which had to, be closely inspected before being passed for
human consumption,, As might be expected, the loss of offals
was high, nearly one ton being totally unfit when examined,
The urgency of this work caused considerable additional calls
on the time of the inspectors, but their willing help enabled
the meat to be cleared with the utmost dispatch and thus an
even greater potential loss of valuable food supplies was
avoided,, It need hardly be pointed out than the handling
which is necessary for the proper examination of meat and
offals in such a state, is a far from agreeable occupation.
The loss occasioned by decomposition in transit during
spells of hot weather indicates once again the need for
improvement in methods of transport of food, particularly meat
and offals.
The attention of the Ministry of Food was drawn to the
very unsatisfactory condition of the meat transport vehicles,
and also to the unsuitable manner in which the carcases were
packed. Some attention was directed to this matter, but, a
Permanent improvement has not been effected yet in this area.
(iii) UNBOUND FOODS.
The following is a tabulated statement of foodstuffs
condemned during the year, together with the cause for condemnation:-