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Environmental Health
75
Other Food

The breakdown of low temperature storage cabinets was a major cause of food condemnation.
Diseases of Animals Act, 1950
The Foot and Mouth Disease emergency ended during the year with the consequent relaxation
of controls which had been applied to prevent the spread of this disease.
Apart from Orders made under this Act dealing with various animal diseases, there are a number
of general Orders enforced by the Public Health Inspector.
One of the most important of these is the Diseases of Animals (Waste Foods) Order, 1957 which
requires that waste foods brought from other premises for the purpose of feeding to pigs or poultry,
be boiled for at least 1 hour in plant licensed for the purpose by the Local Authority. Requirements
are also detailed for preventing animals and poultry gaining access to unboiled swill and for securing
the proper disinfection of bins, vehicles, etc.
The number of licensed boiling plants within the Borough is 33. The number of visits to piggeries
and boiling plants was 219.
During the year it was found necessary to recommend the refusal of the issue of a Licence in
respect of one boiling plant, due to the fact that arrangements for preventing:—
(a) the contamination of boiled waste food by unboiled food and
(b) the access to unboiled waste food by animals or poultry were not considered to be adequate.
Remedial action was taken by the applicant who then successfully re-applied for a licence.
FOOD AND DRUGS ACT, 1955
In accordance with the Council's duties as a Food and Drugs Authority samples are submitted,
either formally or informally, to the Public Analyst. Further samples are examined in the Department's
laboratory where facilities exist for carrying out more simple and straightforward examinations.