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Bacteriological Sampling
The table below shows the extent of work completed during the year. Boneless Beef and
Horsemeat have been the two most urgent imports requiring close control and examination. At the
commencement of the year boneless beef from Bechuanaland showed an incidence of contamination
by Salmonella organisms which was consistantly too high. It is pleasing to report that the
incidence decreased considerably as a direct result of pressure brought to bear at the Port and
this import is now a reasonably satisfactory article of food.

Horsemeat
As a result of routine bacteriological sampling, boneless horsemeat from the Argentine has
been found to have a very high incidence of Salmonella contamination, the pattern being so
consistent that it became necessary to detain all shipments on arrival for sampling at Colindale
Laboratory. The bulk of this meat is destined for the pet trade and is sold raw in shops throughout
the country. It was evident that there was a public health hazard in the distribution of this meat
into shops and homes and from the animals themselves, and importers undertook under written
guarantee that it would be sold to pet food shops only. Parcels considered to be unfit for human
consumption were required to be sterilised before sale.
The following figures show the extent of the problem and the quantities dealt with during the
period under review. Twenty-seven vessels brought horsemeat from the Argentine and carried a
total of 64,937 packages. A total of 1,372 samples were drawn and 620 samples were positive
salmonellae.
As an additional check samples were also drawn from New Zealand and Bulgarian horsemeat.
The trade has decreased sharply as a result of the action of this Authority in detention and
sterilisation df entire shipments. It is hoped that the killing establishments will be able to
produce a satisfactory standard of meat and in the future resume normal trading.