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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 Public Health Inspectors are utilised to
deal with food preparing premises, factory canteen premises and food and
drugs sampling. During 1956, they made 13,847 inspections of food shops
and food preparing premises and copies of the bye-laws were supplied where
necessary and the implications of them were made known to all persons
concerned. 302 informal and 9 formal notices were served under the Food
& Drugs Act, and 6 formal and 258 informal notices were complied with
including 35 informal notices served prior to 1956.
(ii) Food Hygiene.
The following gives the numbers of food premises in the area by the
type of business: —
Caf6s and Restaurants 116
Factory canteens 30
Butchers' shops 116
Grocers' shops 260
Fruiterers' and Greengrocers' shops 131
Fishmongers' and Fishfryers' shops 57
Bakehouses 24
Bakers' shops 45
Confectioners' shops 201
980
The practice of inculcating interest in the proprietors, directors and
staffs of food handling organisations was continued in 1956, and the catering
industry, as a whole, continues to co-operate.
The lectures and demonstrations with film strips and films to food
handlers were continued in 1956.
Education in food hygiene has been extended to the senior schools and
to study groups of various local organisations.
(iii) Sampling.
The Council has delegated to the Public Health Committee power to
institute legal proceedings under the Food and Drugs Act, 1955.
201 samples (195 formal and 6 informal) were obtained during the
year 1956; 11 formal and 4 informal samples were not satisfactory as
follows :—
(a) Creami Doughnuts (formal), and
(b) Cream Slices (formal)—
Filling consisted not of cream but of imitation cream in both instances.
Letters of warning were sent to the retailers.
(c) Buttered Rolls (formal).—Fat consisted of margarine and not
of butter. A letter of warning was sent to the retailer.
(d) Buttered Rolls (formal).—Fat consisted not of butter but of
margarine containing approximately 10% of butter. Legal proceedings
were taken and a fine of £1 with £2.2s. costs was imposed.
(e) Buttered Rolls (format).—Fat consisted not of butter but of
margarine. Legal proceedings were taken and a fine of £1 was
imposed,