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(5) Ice Cream Manufacture and Sampling.
The Ice-Cream (Heat Treatment, etc.) Regulations, 1959, defined the methods to
be adopted for the heat treatment of ice-cream mixes. Mixes must be subjected to one
of three recommended processes of pasteurisation or to the process of sterilisation. After
heat treatment the mix must be reduced to a temperature of not more than 45°F., and
finally, after freezing, must be kept at a temperature not exceeding 28°F. There is
also an alternative method to the final one of freezing by which a mixture which has
been sterilised is immediately placed in sterile air-tight containers under sterile conditions
at the premises where the sterilisation process is carried out. This product is
known as a complete cold mix which can be made into ice-cream by adding water only,
and by freezing.
There are four premises registered in the Borough for the manufacture of ice-cream
— one where the ice-cream is pasteurised by heating to a temperature of 160°F. for a
period of 10 minutes, the other three where the ice-cream is manufactured by using the
complete cold mix method. There are also five hundred and eighteen premises registered
for the storage and sale of ice-cream.

The unsatisfactory samples were those which had been taken from opened cans
from cafes and restaurants. It is the practice in these premises for ice-cream to be
received in cans, which are kept in refrigerators so that the ice-cream can be served as
necessary It is essential however, that sterilised utensils are used for serving, otherwise
contamination of the ice-cream is likely to occur. Where unsatisfactory samples had
been obtained it was found that the contamination had arisen due to the use of
improperly sterilised utensils. In each instance the appropriate investigation was carried
out and advice given on the use of sterilising agents, resulted in the subsequent samples
being satisfactory.
(6) Other Foods.
One hundred and two samples of foods were taken for bacteriological examination,
five of which were found to be unsatisfactory. Certain] types of foods such as meat,
milk and fish products are recognised as suitable media for the development of bacterial
organisms, and sampling was concentrated on these classes of food.
The samples found to be unsatisfactory were of dairy cream cake and fresh cream.
The dairy cream cake, which was manufactured in the Borough, was found to contain
S. aureus. A thorough investigation was carried out at the bakehouse concerned and
subsequent samples were found to be satisfactory. The samples of fresh cream were
taken on the same day from opened cans in two different bakehouses. The cream had
been obtained from the same manufacturing source and both samples failed to satisfy
the prescribed test. As soon as the results were known, repeat samples were taken from
sealed cans on arrival at the respective bakehouses. These samples also failed to satisfy
the prescribed test and the results were referred to the Authority in whose area the
Creamery was situated. The processing and handling methods at the Creamery were
investigated by the Authority concerned as the result of which subsequent samples
proved to be satisfactory.
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