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Apart from this difficulty, it is gratifying to report progress and achievement in port health
control of meats imported for human consumption and those intended for the pet food trades.
Physical examination
Table 1 shows the amount of meat examined for disease (other than bacteriological examination).
Although comparisons from year to year are not always the best guide to the amount of
useful work actually done, it can be seen that in 1963 the numbers of items examined totalled
6,776, during 1964 this figure rose to 14,808.
Table la shows the same type of examination, but in this case, the number of consignments
examined, the occasions when disease was found in. them and the percentage of disease in the
consignment.
This method of examination which involves unpacking, thawing, examining, hardening and
repacking is probably the only method available to a Port Health Authority to check the reliability
of the Official Certificate system. The Port of London Health Authority is unique in carrying out
such surveys over a wide range of meats. Where disease is found direct contact is made with the
country of origin, through the officials appointed by the meat exporting countries, and action to
prevent further failures usually follows quickly.
Bacteriological Control
Meat samples drawn for bacteriological examination are itemised in Table 2. The number
drawn during 1964 totalled 7,256 which compares with 3,782 in 1963.
It will be seen from this table that 37.2% of all horsemeat samples drawn produced salmonellae.
Samples of Kangaroo meat were worse, 52% samples being positive.
Pets Meat Trade
More than half of the bacteriological samples relate to meat intended for the pets food trade
and are part of the control measures and administrative work carried out by the dock staff to give
effect to existing legislation, particularly the Meat (Staining and Sterilization) Regulations, 1960.
This trade continues to present administrative problems to this Authority. The following figures
give some idea of the numbers relevant to the scope of imports.
Horsemeat control
Number of packages released ex ship 207,799
Number of packages sent to Dock Store 61,690
269,489
Average number per week 5,182
Kangaroo Meat
Number of packages detained 9,847
Inedible Meats (other than Horse and Kangaroo)
Number of packages released for
sterilization 269,173
547,509
A disproportionate amount of time is spent by the inspectors and clerical staff dealing with
this trade, since the detention examination and release of which involves a considerable amount
of documentation. It would seem therefore appropriate to consider the usefulness of present regulations
and the effectiveness of the control measures imposed. Accordingly the pasteurisation
of pets meat by irradiation in the dock, prior to its release into the channels of distribution, is
a possibility increasingly attractive to the pets meat trade and to Local Authorities.
Conclusions
The great variety of meats now being imported into this country from many diverse exporting
countries demands a constant vigilance on the part of the dock staff. New types of ready-to-cook
prepared raw meats and the great increase in boneless manufacturing meats require changing
techniques in examination and control.
It is hoped that the new legislation at present in draft form will permit adequate safeguards
to be exercised by port health authorities and in no way curtail what is at present found effective
in the existing regulations.
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