London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Hillingdon 1970
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hillingdon]
This page requires JavaScript
The results of all milk samples taken for the statutory tests are set out in the following table:
| Pasteurised— Methylene Blue and Phosphatase Tests | Sterilised— Turbidity Test | U.H. T.— Colony Count | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory | Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory | Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory |
| 47 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
Premises registered and licensed in accordance with the Milk and Dairies (General) Regulations,
1959 and the Milk (Special Designation) Regulations:
Registered Milk Distributors 109
Registered Dairies 2
Licences to use Special Designations:
(a) pasteurised 92
(b) sterilised 60
(c) ultra heat treated 75
(d) untreated 13
Dealers Licence (pasteurised) 2
All licences expired on the 31st December, and were renewed.
Cream
There is no bacteriological test for cream recognised by statute but the methylene blue test
in association with a coliform count affords a good indication whether the cream is being properly
handled and this test is carried out by the Public Health Laboratory as a screening test. If an
unsatisfactory or border-line result is obtained enquiries are made into handling and storage
methods for a possible cause of the failure. The main causes of failure in respect of pre-packed
cartons of cream were long storage and incorrect temperatures during either delivery or display.
Failure to clean equipment properly was the main cause of failure of catering samples involving
cream which had been prepared (e.g. by whipping) prior to use in confectionery. Persistent
problems were experienced with a cream whipping machine in a confectioner's shop. This was
due to difficulty in satisfactorily sterilising the working parts; the machine was replaced by a later
model of the same make with the same result. At present the equipment is out of use pending
a solution to the problem which is being investigated by the manufacturers.
Similar trouble was experienced with similar machines by other users within the Borough
and they have now discontinued their use. Of the 81 cream samples examined—53 or 65% were
classed as unsatisfactory.
Similar trouble was experienced with similar machines by other users within the Borough and they have now discontinued their use. Of the 81 cream samples examined—53 or 65% were classed as unsatisfactory.
| Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory | |
|---|---|---|
| Major Dairy Companies | 16 | 45 |
| Farm Produced | 1 | 1 |
| Catering Sales | 11 | 7 |
Following the unsatisfactory sample of farm produced cream, sale of this cream stopped
because the milk from which the cream was produced was found to contain brucella abortus.
At present a purchaser does not necessarily know whether the cream has been heat treated
or not. This situation will be rectified when the Cream Regulations, 1970 become fully operative
on the 1st March, 1972. These require that any cream other than cream bearing the description
clotted cream which is pasteurised cream, ultra heat treated cream or untreated shall be
appropriately marked.
76