London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London

City of London 1971

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]

This page requires JavaScript

Text

Copy text to clipboard

FOOD INSPECTION 1971
The total amount of foodstuffs detained for examination by the Port Health Inspectors and
either condemned as unfit for human consumption and destroyed or otherwise disposed of under
guarantee and supervision was 6,207 tons, 14 cwts, 0 qtrs, 20 lbs.

Table: The following is a summary showing methods of disposal:-

The following is a summary showing methods of disposal:-

Weight 1971Comparable weight 1970
TonsCwts.Qrs.Lbs.TonsCwts.Qrs.Lbs.
Burnt5710187510120
Buried261123214171410
Contractor1165321351331
*Other Districts5,34210045299327
*Animal Feeding35714322460127
Re-exported72919759311
6,207140201,2791832

Text

Copy text to clipboard

The variation in the above weights between 1971 and the previous year was due to the
detention during 1971 of 4,900 tons of wheat which was found to contain ergot in excess of the norm.
Items marked * were released with the agreement of and under the supervision of local
Medical Officers of Health.

Table: Of the above-mentioned 6,207 tons, the principal methods of disposal, with weights, were as follows:—

Of the above-mentioned 6,207 tons, the principal methods of disposal, with weights, were as follows:—

BurntTonsCwt.
6,098 Tins and 262 cartons of fruit, meat, vegetables, pulps and juices —
burst, blown, leaking and broken816
4,159 Containers of fruit and vegetables - wet damaged, smashed, broken, dirty
mouldy, contaminated, oil stained and rodent damaged417
3 Cases preserved Fruit - contained non-permitted colouring matter2
5 Cartons Soy Bean Sauce — contained non-permitted preservative1
2 Part Casks of Orange Juice — contaminated with extraneous matter3
2 Cartons Cocoa Butter - wet damaged2
1 Bag Coffee Beans — vermin damaged1
44 Bags Black Pepper - oil damaged24
27 Bags Coconuts — wasty and stained15
5 Cases Shelled Walnuts — vermin damaged2
2 Part Bags Desiccated Coconut — contaminated with extraneous matter1
3 Cases Dried Red Dates — dirty3
16 Bags Ox Fores and Shins - dock water damaged2
5 Cartons Pork Skins - no official certificates2
4 Bags Wheat and Rye Extract - rodent damaged4
34 Cartons Gram Flour - rodent damaged11
2 Drums Hickory Smoked Torula Yeast — insect infested2
2 Cartons Butter — wet damaged1
5 Cartons Margerine — wet damaged1
4 Bags Milk Powder—vermin infested4
6 Chests Tea - wet damaged Buried6
24,282 Tins, 3,292 Cartons and 324 Jars of Fruit, Meat, Vegetables, Pulp and Juices — burst, blown, leaking and broken713
6,478 Containers of Fruit and Vegetables - wasty, wet damaged, crushed, dirty, mouldy, insect and vermin infested14819
11 Containers Preserved Fruit — contained non-permitted colouring matter and preservatives8
242 Containers Sauces, Chutnies and Pickles - contaminated with extraneous matter, burst, leaking and containing non-permitted colouring matter and preservative46
300 Bags Walnuts in Shell - unwholesome77
20 Bags Groundnuts - sweepings14
47 Bags Coconut — unsound15
73 Cartons Frozen Prawns and Shrimps — decomposing19