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Bacteriological Sampling
The investigation of imported meats for the presence of food poisoning organisms has steadily
grown over recent years due to what appears to be a change in the type of meat in demand.
A greater quantity of boneless manufacturing meats and meats intended for the pets trade now
form part of the regular imports and it is these boneless meats which give greatest cause for
concern. The process of boning out would appear to spread contamination and unless the greatest
care is exercised in the killing establishments to maintain the highest standards of hygiene
considerable quantities of these meats will need to be detained and considerable quantities
subsequently diverted to uses other than for human food. The present position is as below.
(1) Bulgarian horsemeat All offals detained.
(2) Australian boneless Beef Subject to investigation
(3) New Zealand boneless Veal All detained except one establishment.
(4) Argentine Horsemeat All detained except one establishment.
(5) Argentine boneless Beef All detained.
Other activities
Numerous parties of students were conducted round the docks and taken to the Cold Store
Examination Room for lectures on meat control methods.
A paper was presented to the Annual Conference of the Association of Public Health Inspectors
at Southport by Mr. A.C. Good, Senior Inspector, on Public Health Problems Associated with
Imported Meats. A film was made by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the Royal Docks in
collaboration with the inspectors to form part of a series 'Microbes and Man' to be shown on the
Schools Television Programme. The film showed some of the precautions taken to ensure that
imported meats were fit and safe to eat.