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VII. FOOD INSPECTION.
The fact that the Port of London extends over such a large area and that foodstuffs
may be landed at almost any point makes it impossible to divide the staff
strictly into Food Inspectors and Sanitary Inspectors. There are, however, certain
parts of the docks where the nature and quantity of the foodstuffs landed are such
(principally imported meat and meat products) that a whole-time Food Inspector is
essential, but there are many districts were the food inspection and sanitary inspection
must be combined. For this reason every Sanitary Inspector in the Port
of London is required to qualify as a Food Inspector and at the present time all
Fourteen Inspectors are qualified in both respects.
Post-war conditions, the world shortage of foodstuffs and the need for strict
control in the distribution of foodstuffs entering the country resulted in the
majority of consignments entering on account of the Crown although towards the end
of the year it was noticed that certain imports, mainly fruit and canned fish, were
arriving to the account of private merchants.
The war time policy of salving damaged foodstuffs and the reconditioning where
possible to render them fit either for human or animal consumption or for industrial
purposes, necessitated a continuance of the close co-operation and collaboration
between the Officers of the Ministry of Food and your Officers, as in previous
years.
The total amount of foodstuffs seized and condemned for human consumption and
either reconditioned or disposed of for animal consumption or for industrial purposes
under guarantee or destroyed was 630 tons as compared with 720 tons in 1945
and 1,238 tons in 1944.

It will be noted that the percentage buried (42.38) shows a big increase over
that of last year (4.44). This is accounted for by the large quantities of oranges,
lemons and onions which arrived in a 'wasting' condition and could not be utilized
in any way.
Your Medical officer considers it necessary to call attention to the marked deterioration
that he and your Inspectors have noticed in the quality of certain types
of foodstuffs entering the port, particularly meat and meat products.
Before the war this country could afford only to purchase the very best quality
and to reject meat, and also other foodstuffs, which were unsound, unwholesome or
unfit for human consumption.
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