View report page

It is interesting to note that there was a considerable reduction in the number of complaints
concerning bottled milk but that bread retained its pride of place as the main subject of food
complaints.
The fact that 57% of complaints related to mould growths is cause for serious concern since
it indicates quite clearly that insufficient care is being given to proper stock rotation.
FOOD HYGIENE
It is disappointing to report yet again that there is a great difficulty in maintaining a satisfactory
standard of hygiene in food premises and at every routine visit it is necessary for the inspector
to draw attention to failures in practices about which the occupiers have been repeatedly advised.
These failures are reported verbally to the occupiers at the time of the inspection and confirmed
in writing. As a result improvements are effected but unfortunately they are short-lived. It has not
been the custom to prosecute when proprietors have been willing to co-operate, but the time
appears rapidly to be approaching when prosecutions will have to be taken if co-operation is
only forthcoming after the service of a notice and the resulting improvement is not maintained.
Later in the report are details of the 14 prosecutions taken during the year—these were
extremely serious cases with no redeeming features. If the policy is changed by taking a hard line
it will have several repercussions, viz.: work load preparing evidence, work load on legal section
and additional cases in a much overworked police court where at the present time it takes not
less than an average of 4 months to obtain a hearing for a food hygiene offence.
The following extract from an Inspector's report concerning a restaurant illustrates the type
of conditions found. The proprietor in this case was subsequently prosecuted and convicted for
contravening the requirements of the Food Hygiene Regulations.
1. A galvanised iron bath containing a dry greasy residue was stored on the bottom shelf of
the gas range. The shelf itself was covered with a layer of greasy dirt and particles of carbonised
grease and food scraps.
2. The fluorescent light fittings were heavily coated with dirt.
3. The extractor fan was heavily coated with grease.
4. The gas range had a coating of carbonised grease on the regulo controls and around the
burners, gas pipes, oven shelves and doors.
5. The water pipes to the double bowl stainless sink were covered with grease and dirt. Metal
supports to these sinks were dirty.
6. The external surfaces of the potator peeler were dirty as were the door runners and side of
the bain-marie.
7. Raw meat was present in the wash hand basin.
8. A circular wooden chopping block was present on the central work table. It was resting on
a layer of paper and there was a large film of mould between the surface of the block and
the surface of the paper. A metal band was nailed around the block and there was a collection
of stale food debris between the block and the band.
9. The clamp of a bench mounted can opener was screwed to the central working surface.
The clamp was very dirty and the main body of the can opener which was lying on the floor
was similarly dirty being covered with grease and dirt.
10. A large refrigerator contained cooked chicken and cooked meat in cardboard mushroom
boxes. These boxes were dirty and the cardboard by its very nature was not capable of being
thoroughly cleaned.
11. The walls of the kitchen were partly panelled with hardboard and partly tiled. The hardboard
panelling behind the gas range was coated with grease and the tiles by the double bowl
stainless steel sink unit were splashed with grease and dirt. The hardboard panelling behind
the bain-marie was dirty and gaps between the wall and the glazed wash-up sink contained
mould and dirt.
77