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37
UNSOUND FOOD.
During the year there have been no large individual seizures of unsound
frozen meat, the total for the year being 644 carcasses and 252 pieces of
mutton and lamb, and 353 quarters and 724 pieces of beef. Of other articles
the principal items have been:—
In February, 13,000 eggs and 3,178 baskets dates, 6,600 bags rice
and flour, 21,000 bushels and sundry bags wheat and oatmeal.
In March, upwards of 11,000 eggs, 1,271 boxes dates, and 660 tons
damaged flour and grain.
In April, 60 tons damaged flour and grain.
In May, 1,265 rabbits, 7,000 tins corned beef, 2,000 tons potatoes,
1,338 trays pears.
In June, 16,800 yeast cakes, over 200,000 tins egg powder, and
2,750 rabbits.
In July, 1,497 tins jam, 71 tons dates, and 11,520 eggs.
In August, 1,440 eggs and 346 cases pears.
In September, 4,700 rabbits.
In October, 12 tons potates.
In November, 11,440 eggs, 600 crates bananas, 43 tons dates, 3½ tons
coffee, 2 tons onions, 121 boxes oranges.
In December, 3,837 bags wheat, peas, &c., 1,000 crates bananas,
12,960 eggs, and 12 tons potatoes.
This list shows only some of the principal items seized, and serves to
illustrate the scale on which the inspection of food is carried out in the Docks.
Further particulars are given in Table V III.
On the return of the "Discovery" from the Antarctic regions,
it was ascertained that the ship's stores remaining in hand were to be put up
for public sale. As a certain portion was certainly unfit for food I decided
to deal with the whole, which was accordingly carefully examined, and a total
of 86 cases and 342 tins of various foodstuffs were found to be unsound and
destroyed.
On the whole, the condition of the stores was found to be fairly good. As
might perhaps be expected, the tinned meats and fish yielded the largest
proportion of unsound stuff, namely, about 25 per cent. The following full
list of the stores destro\ed will be of .interest:—
Thirty-three cases and 69 tins meat, 38 tins fish, 5 cases and 3 tins
fruit, 2 cases and 11 tins marmalade, 15 cases and 31 tins vegetables, 20
cases and 5 tins butter, cheese, lard, and margarine, 1 tin prepared food,
5 cases and 2 tins vermicelli and macaroni, 3 tins barley, 4 cases eggs, 2
cases and 50 tins condiments, 1'29 tins sundries.
An important prosecution in relation to the exposure for sale of polluted
shellfish was undertaken by the Port Sanitary Authority during November