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million of arsenic of 5-12. Bearing in mind that the Food Standards Committee set up by the
Ministry of Health had recommended that the permitted amount should not exceed 2 parts per
million of lead and 1 part per millionof arsenic it will he seen that these amounts were excessive.
The County Council had ascertained that these apples had been imported through the Port of
London but the importing vessel had finished discharge. Instructions were, however, issued to
all Port Health Inspectors to watch for further importations from the same source.
On 30th January 1958 the Ministry of Health telephoned that the m.v. "Balkis" was due to
arrive with Lebanese apples and that the Public Health Departments of Westminster and Stepney
were sampling Lebanese apples from Covent Garden andSpitalfields.
From the P.L.A.'s list of ships due to arrive it was learned that the m.v. "Balkis" had been
in East India Dock for several days and the information was passed to the Port Health Inspector
on the dock who, although he had not seen anything unusual on arrival of the ship, immediately
detained the remainder of the cargo and took samples. In the meantime information was received
both from Stepney Borough Council and Westminster City Council of the results of their sampling.
Stepney Borough Council had roughly the same figures as the Wiltshire County Council, but
Westminster had results all below the recommended limits and they had given permission for
the apples to be sold.
On 31st January 1958 details of the apples discharged from the "Balkis" were obtained and
merchants contacted by telephone to ascertain details of the disposal of the apples in order that
local authorities could be warned. Most of the apples had by then been sold in very small
amounts to unknown buyers, but it was possible to notify the Medical Officers of Health of Southampton,
Chatham and Liverpool of apples consigned to their areas, and the Medical Officer of
Health of Southwark of the possibility of some having gone into his area.
On 3rd February 1958 the Public Analyst reported that all our samples were below the limits
of 2 parts per million of lead and 1 part per million of arsenic, and the apples were consequently
released from the dock.
It was then known that the m.v."Briseis" was due in the West India Dock with approximately
20,000 cases of Lebanese apples oil board worth £40,000 and it was arranged for them to be
detained whilst samples were drawn for analysis. This was done on 5th February. Although
there were only two varieties of apples — Ted and Golden Delicious — there were 46 different
brands, and samples of all were brought to the head office at Guildhall. After visual examination
of these samples, it was decided to send 17 samples to the analyst, these being the most
obviously affected by the spray residue which appeared as a fine dust on the calyx and stalk
depression of the apples.
On 6th February 1958 the first ten results were received and thpse showed that only three
were within the recommended limits. Instructions were given for the release of these three
parcels and the merchants informed. The owners of the other parcels were informed that release
would be granted if they could arrange to have the apples cleaned at suitable premises and provided
the local Medical Officer of Health would supervise the cleaning — such cleaning to be:
washing in turbulent water and wiping with clean cloths.
The results of the remaining analyses were received the next day and of these seven, only
one was below the recommended amount and the corresponding parcel was accordingly released.
As the apples released were those on which very small amounts of residue had been visible, it
was felt that those brands of which samples were held at the office with even less amounts* of
residue visible could also be released. The nine merchants interested in those marks under
detention, totalling approximately 5,700 cases, were informed of the need for proper cleaning
under supervision.
Between the 6th and 14th February 1958 a considerable amount of work was involved in
checking with local authorities that premises selected were suitable for cleaning and ensuring
that the work would be supervised. The last of the apples were released on 14th February 1958.
The Ministry of Health were kept fully informed of the action taken so that they could make
official representations to the Lebanese Authorities and to the British Representative in Lebanon.
Reports received subsequently from other Local Health Authorities showed that although
apples were released as having been reasonably satisfactory, some of them were found on sampling
and analysis to have been contaminated by arsenic and lead in excessive amounts. This
emphasises the difficulties inherent in inspection of this type of import, contamination varying
in degree from mark to mark and case to case. Within the limits of any practicable inspection it
was inevitable that a certain amount of unsatisfactory fruit would be included in parcels released
as free from contamination to any significant degree, but local Health Authorities were fully
informed as to the extent to which the contamination was likely to occur.
tt is gratifying to know that no further trouble was experienced during the rest of the year.
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