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30
INSPECTION OF FOOD AND FOOD PREMISES
(Tables 17-20)
The picture of the food purchasing and eating habits of the populace of Brent continues to change.
Immigrants from the Commonwealth have brought with them to the shops, foods which years ago
were delicacies and only to be purchased in selective areas, now an every day occurrence, avocado pears,
melons, betel nuts, to mention a few are laid alongside apples and tomatoes on display. Goat meat is sold
without comment alongside beef, yams of all sizes, colours and shapes, exotic sauces and flavours all for the
choosing. People are now widening their choice not only of what they purchase for consumption at home but
also when eating out—a Chinese meal is as common place as fish and chips, and Indian curry as steak and
over the past year there has been a rise in the number of take away food premises providing a wide range of
foods such as Indian and Chinese meals, American fried chicken and shish kabab which may be eaten in the
comfort of one's own home.
Further extensions of the altering of people's palates are the greater provision in food premises of
wines, from the common place to the vintage, of cheeses from the world at large, delicatessens are in demand,
count even the different types of bread sold at any baker's shop—all these point to the change in eating habits.
Frozen foods as stored within the home continue to increase, more stores especially catering for these
needs are opening, giving a service covering virtually all aspects of food. The home freezer is taking its place
alongside the more conventional refrigerator in the household.
With such changing habits, the need for vigilance on the part of the Public Health Inspector and his
need to keep abreast of such transformation is of first priority—happily it is taken in its stride and no difficulties
experienced.
The question is often posed of language difficulties of the Inspectorate and the Food Trader. Thia
rarely if ever occurs and presents little or no barrier by sufferance, education, even by interpretation the
message gets through eventually.
Legal proceedings were taken relating to 15 premises and food stalls under the Food Hygiene (General)
Regulations 1970 resulting in a total of £979 fines and costs. (Table 20.)

Inspection and Revisits
Inspections: 1,616
Revisits: 2,206
Total: 3.822