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38
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 Essex County Council Act, 1952. Section 105, requires that as
from 2nd April. 1953. any person intending to use premises which were
not used immediately before that date for the sale, storage, or preparation
for sale of any food (other than milk) intended for human consumption
shall give not less than 14 days' notice to the Council of his intention so
to do.
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 1953, they made 14,297 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. 152 informal and 14
formal notices were served under the Food & Drugs Act, and 14 formal
and 149 informal notices were complied with, including 3 formal and 33
informal notices served in 1952.
(ii) Food Hygiene.
The following gives the numbers of food premises in the area by the
type of business:—
Cafes and Restaurants 146
Factory canteens 26
Butchers' shops 122
Grocers' shops 273
Fruiterers' and Greengrocers' shops 125
Fishmongers' and Fishfryers' shops 56
Bakehouses 28
Bakers' shops 52
Confectioners' shops 185
1,013
Fifteen 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 15 canteens, cafes
and food shops were invited, resulting in an attendance of 275.
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 cooperating
admirably, as in the previous year.
(iii) Sampling.
The Council has delegated to the Public Health Committee power to
institute legal proceedings under the Act.
297 samples (292 formal and 5 informal) were obtained during the
year 1953; 10 formal and 5 informal samples were not satisfactory as
follows: —
(a) Bread (informal).— Contained rodent excreta. Legal proceedings
were taken and the retailer was fined £2 and £1 1s. costs.
(b) Bulterminl drops (formal).— Contained only 0.23% of fat and
therefore misdescribed as "butter." A letter of warning was sent to
the retailer.