London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Hillingdon 1967
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hillingdon]
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90 Environmental Health
Sulphur dioxide in apricot chutney was found to be due to its presence in the dried apricots from
which the chutney was made.
A sample of imported mayonnaise and herrings in jelly was found to contain sorbic and benzoic
acid and a sample of imported herrings in jelly, benzoic acid. The matter was taken up with the importers
and no further importations have been received.
Three samples of frying oils and fats taken from catering establishments were found to be
rancid.
Specific gravity readings on five samples of spirits from four public houses were suspicious and
repeat formal samples were taken. These were found to be satisfactory.
Food Complaints
There were 114 food complaints received during the year, a slight reduction from 135, the figure
for 1966.
The undermentioned table gives details of the complaints.
| Commodity | Nature of Complaint | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsound (mould etc.) | Foreign matter | Cause of Complaint | |
| Bacon | 1 | 1 | Maggots |
| Beer | 1 | - | Mould due to loose stopper |
| Bread | 12 | 10 | Discoloured dough, insects, nail |
| Butter | 1 | 1 | Nail, mould on packet |
| Canned cream | 1 | — | Sour |
| Canned fruit | 1 | - | |
| Canned meat | 7 | 4 | Fibres, sulphiding, metal nut and mould |
| Canned shellfish | 1 | - | Discolouration |
| Cereals | — | 1 | Insects |
| Cheese | 1 | — | |
| Chipped potatoes | — | 1 | Alleged dirt |
| Crisps | — | 1 | Perspex, in the packet |
| Fish and Fish products | 2 | 3 | Mould, beetle, fly |
| Flavoured spreads | 1 | 1 | Glass |
| Flour Confectionery | 6 | 6 | Dirt, wasps, hair, glass |
| Fresh cream | — | 1 | Dirt |
| Fresh fruit | 1 | — | Decomposition |
| Fresh meat | 5 | 2 | Decomposition. Suspected horseflesh—not confirmed |
| Frozen vegetables | 1 | — | Decomposition |
| Jam and Marmalade | — | 1 | |
| Meals | 1 | 2 | Broken china, metal particles |
| Meat products | 7 | 3 | Glass, dental filling, beetle |
| Milk | 1 | 13 | Glass, dirt, bottle caps |
| Pickles | 1 | 1 | Caterpillar |
| Sausages and Sausage meat | 2 | 4 | Twine, metal |
| Sugar confectionery | 3 | 1 | Wire |
| 57 | 57 | ||