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Table 29 shows the broad headings under which food premises were
improved in the past year. In general, excellent co-operation has been
maintained with proprietors of food businesses, and in only two cases
were legal proceedings necessary where premises failed to conform to
the standards laid down in the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations,
1960. In one case fines totalling £175 with 35 guineas' costs were
imposed against a butcher and in the second case a fine of £6 with
three guineas' costs was imposed against a greengrocer. Proceedings
were also taken against two employees in the same greengrocer's shop
for smoking when handling open food and each was fined £1 with two
guineas' costs.
3. Food Sampling.
One hundred and tewnty-six samples were procured during the year
of which 21 were shown to be irregular. The Public Analyst (D. D.
Moir, Esq., M.Sc., F.R.I.C.) has at all times given most helpful advice
and his continued interest has contributed in great measure to the
usefulness of this branch of public health work.
As in past years most of the irregular samples failed to satisfy the
Labelling of Food Order either in the description of the product or in
the list of ingredients, but in all cases it proved possible to reach
agreement with the manufacturers or importers to remedy the irregularity
revealed by sampling.
Ice-Cream.
There is only one ice-cream manufacturer in the Borough; the
process involves the heat-treatment of the product to a temperature
of not less than 160°F for 10 minutes, and not the high-temperatureshort-time
method (175°F for 15 seconds), which is also permitted
by the Ice-Cream (Heat Treatment) Regulations.
One hundred and twenty premises are registered for the sale and
storage of ice-cream, and during the year 44 samples were submitted
to the Public Health Laboratory for examination, of which 42 were
satisfactory (Grades I and II) and 2 were unsatisfactory (Grades III
and IV).
Unsatisfactory samples received thorough investigation, and in both
instances there was evidence that the low grading was due to a failure
to keep sterile the water in which the server was kept. The proprietors,
in each case, were advised on the use of sterilising agents and
subsequent samples proved satisfactory.