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41
FOOD AND DRINK HYGIENE CAMPAIGN
AND EXHIBITION
In view of the importance and seriousness of infection spread through
the medium of contaminated foods and its alarming demands on manpower,
research was carried out to ascertain the most comprehensive way in which
the importance of clean handling of food could be brought to the attention
of the inhabitants of the Borough.
A report was received on the Food and Drink Infections Conference
and Exhibition held by the Central Council for Health Education in
October, 1947, giving details of material available for this form of health
education. A detailed report on the main causes of Food and Drink
Infections, the major diseases spread by such contaminated food and the
precautions that should be taken to minimise such infection was prepared
and presented, together with specimen posters and material that could be
used in a local campaign, to a Committee formed to pursue the matter
evolving a programme of lectures for all the food-handling trades and
generally to further education in food hygiene.
A visit was paid to the Health of the People Exhibition held in London,
and arrangements were made to borrow display material from the Food
and Drink Infections Section for a local exhibition.
Posters and pamphlets were obtained from the C.C.H.E., including the
Food-handlers leaflet, for circulation to all the Food-handling trades in
the Borough and for display in the various canteens and restaurants and
Public buildings.
A Press Conference was held in April and the scheme outlined to
representatives of the local newspapers who kindly gave Press Publicity to
the project.
Invitations were sent to representatives of the Food-handling trades to
a meeting when the campaign was discussed and co-operation and suggestions
requested. Circulation of the Food-handlers leaflets and posters presented
by the British Tourist and Holidays Board to all Food-handling shops was
made with the assistance of the Sanitary Inspectors.
A coloured pamphlet was produced on food contamination, describing
some of the causes and their effects with suggestions for their prevention
illustrated by 12 two-coloured drawings. 40,000 of these were circulated
by the Corporation's Refuse Department to all householders in the Borough.
Local General Practitioners were circularised individually, acquainting them
with details of the campaign and requesting their co-operation. A supply
of leaflets was sent to each for distribution to patients requiring advice on
food infection.
Talks were given to the various trade organisations, including the
Butchers, London Retail Meat Traders Association Inc., and representatives
of the Ice Cream trade.
Lectures were given to Supervisors and Cooks of the Provision of
Meals and Civic Catering Services.
Subsequent to the lectures and discussions with the various foodhandling
trades in the Borough, I was requested and consented to write an
article on Food and Drink Infections which subsequently appeared in the
Essex County Federation of Master Bakers' 1948 Year Book.
An Exhibition of Food and Drink Infections precautions was held for
one week in October at the Dane Secondary School with the co-operation
of the Borough Education Officer.
Invitations were sent to a number of industrial firms in the Borough.