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During the year, a total of 270 informal samples were submitted to the Public Analyst of which 24
were unsatisfactory. The Analyst's reports were as follows : —
Name or Description of Article
Milk with red foreign matter
Toffee popcorn
Energex
Pineapple syrup
Hot pepper sauce
Pasteurised milk
Milk
Milk
Buttered rolls (3 samples)
Milk (2 samples)
Syrup drink
Brown bread
Unlabelled food
Beverage
Buttermilk
Buttermilk
Melon balls in syrup (2 samples)
Cordial Strawberry
One pint of milk (for identification of fouling)
Ham roll
Nature of Adulteration or Irregularity
Bottle not properly cleansed
Incorrect description
Incorrect labelling
Incorrect labelling
Incorrect labelling
False description
Deficient in solids—not-fat
Contained added water
False description
Deficient in solids—not-fat
Contained mould spores and hyphae
Contained dirty dough
Packet gave no description
Contaminated by foreign matter
Sample was of whipping cream
Sample was one of cream
Can had 'blown'
Misleading labelling
Foreign matter on exterior of bottle
Contained rodent droppings
Sixteen formal samples were taken of which 3 were unsatisfactory. The Analyst's reports were as
follows : —
Name or Description of Article
Milk (in glass)
Milk (in glass)
Buttered roll
Nature of Adulteration or Irregularity
False description—milk powder reconstituted
Contained added water
False description—spread with margarine
Of the 27 unsatisfactory samples, 7 were referred to the Solicitor and Administration Manager, 2
were dealt with by warning letters to the suppliers, 14 were dealt with informally, 2 Companies subsequently
ceased trading and the importation of two commodities was discontinued.
BACTERIOLOGICAL SAMPLING
(Table 29)
The Local Authority is responsible for food hygiene in all its aspects. In particular, the fitness or
otherwise of foodstuffs and the prevention of food borne illness. Bacteriology and sampling for bacteriological
examination is a necessary part of this duty, and during the year 338 samples of high risk foods were taken
and submitted to the Public Health Laboratory Service for examination. Of these, 298 were satisfactory and
40 were unsatisfactory.
Wafer Samples
Regular samples were taken from all the swimming baths in the Borough. Each sample was examined
for coliform bacilli and for faecal organisms. One hundred and forty-one samples were taken and 140 were
satisfactory.
Meat and Meat Products
Sixtv-three samples of meat and meat products were submitted to the Laboratory and were examined
for specific food poisoning organisms, the commonest of which are Salmonellae and Staphylococci. The
presence of these organisms in meat foods is of concern and adverse samples are always followed by a
full investigation by the Public Health Inspector. Where the food is cooked prior to eating, the danger of
illness is not such a threat but the risk of cross contamination with other products which are not cooked
before consumption is a considerable one.
Ice Cream
The manufacture of ice cream is controlled by the Ice Cream (Heat Treatment etc.) Regulations
1959/63. Ice Cream is subjected to a methylene blue reduction test in a similar fashion to milk. Although not
a statutory test, it is the accepted standard test. Samples graded 1 and 2 are satisfactory. Grades 3 and 4
are unsatisfactory and indicate some deficiencies in practice, usually the unsatisfactory sterilisation of equipment.
The standards of a producer are usually judged on a series of tests rather than one or two isolated results.
Milk
The Milk (Special Designation) Regulations 1963/65 lay down the statutory tests to be applied to
designated milk.
Ultra heat treated milk known as U.H.T. or Long Life milk is "heat treated" at a temperature
of 270°F for not less than one second. The "colony count test" is applied to such milk and a satisfactory
sample must have a total colony count of less than 10.
Pasteurised milk must satisfy a methylene blue test and a phosphatase test. The methylene blue test
is a test of keeping quality and a blue dye (methylene blue) must not be decolourised in 30 minutes. In the
phosphatase test the presence of phosphatase (a milk enzvme) indicates that the pasteurisation process, which
destroys phosphatase, has not been satisfactorily carried out.