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34
Food and Drugs Act, 1938. Meat and Other Foods.
(i) Inspection and Supervision.
The Council has made bye-laws under Section 15, Food and Drugs Act,
1938 for securing the observance of sanitary and cleanly conditions and
practices in connection with the handling, wrapping and delivery of food sold
or intended for sale for human consumption, and in connection with the
sale or exposure for sale in the open air of food intended for human consumption.
The whole-time services of two Sanitary Inspectors are utilised to deal
with food preparing premises, factory canteen premises and food and drugs
sampling. During 1951, they made 9,336 inspections of food shops and food
preparing premises and copies of the bye-laws were supplied and explained.
Interviews were held with directors and representatives of most of the
multiple firms having shops in the district and agreement arrived at as to
matters of policy affected by the bye-laws. 489 informal and 17 formal
notices were served under the Food & Drugs Act, and 10 formal and 406
informal notices were complied with, including one formal and 20 informal
notices served in 1950.
(ii) Food Hygiene.
Twenty-two Lectures and demonstrations with film strips were organised
for food handlers. For this purpose, canteens, restaurants and staff rooms
have been kindly made available and food handlers in the vicinity invited
to attend. Questions were raised followed by interesting discussions. These
lectures were held in duplicate in order to allow the entire staffs of premises
to attend without disorganising their business. Staffs of 147 canteens, cafes
and food shops were invited, resulting in an attendance of 382.
Further lectures are being organised and it is intended to cover the
whole of the Borough in this manner.
It is pleasing to note that the catering industry, as a whole, is co-operating
admirably.
(iii) Sampling.
The Council has delegated to the Public Health Committee power to
institute legal proceedings under the Act.
285 samples (279 formal and 6 informal) of food and drugs were obtained
during the year 1951; 9 formal and 4 informal samples were not satisfactory
as follows:—
(a) Salt beef (formal).—Serological tests confirmed that this meat
was horseflesh. Legal proceedings were taken against the butcher's
manager who was fined £3, plus £5. 5s. 0d. costs.
(b) and (c) Milk (formal).—These samples were deficient in fat to the
extent of 13 per cent. and 6 per cent. respectively. Further samples,
taken on the recommendations of the Public Analyst, proved satisfactory,
and no further action was taken.
(d) Vinegar (formal).—Consisted not of vinegar, but of coloured
acetic acid. Legal proceedings were taken against the retailer who was
fined £1.
(e) Vinegar (formal).—Consisted not of vinegar, but of coloured
acetic acid. Fines totalling £\ plus £1 costs, were inposed.
(/) Whisky (formal).—Found to have a strength of only 40.1°
underproof, whereas the Food & Drugs Act requires that the strength of
whisky should not be lower than 35.0° underproof. Legal proceedings
were taken and the licensee was discharged on payment of 4s. costs,
the co-licensee was fined £20, plus £3 3s. 0d. costs and the barmaid was
fined £5. On appeal, at the Court of Quarter Sessions, the co-licensee's
fine was reduced to £10 and the barmaid was discharged, and no order
was made as to costs.