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22
merely on a statement of a Medical Officer of the Local Government
Board that vinegar should contain 4 per cent. of Acetic Acid, and
similarly that vinegar prepared by colouring and flavouring a
solution of Acetic Acid, should not be represented as merely
"vinegar" or "malt vinegar"; it was, therefore, resolved that no
proceedings should be taken, that copies of the Analyst's certificate
be forwarded to the Ministry of Health, and the views of the
Ministry requested thereon. This difficulty has also arisen from
time to time as regards other commonly-used articles of food.
The Council have also drawn the attention of the Ministry of
Health to the difficulties that exist as regards the Protection of
Foodstuffs from Contamination. The filthy conditions under
which bread is often prepared, even though the premises have been
constructed according to the Regulations governing food premises,
and the filthy condition in which it may be delivered to the consumer
is an instance of this fact.
The Council also drew attention to the danger of permitting
undesirable articles of food to be brought wholesale into the
country, and then distributed to retailers, as, for instance, apples
sprayed with arsenical mixtures, and cherries infected with larval
parasites.
Attention was also drawn to the need for the protection of
articles of food liable to contamination, and exposed for sale on
street stalls or open shop fronts, and it was pointed out that fish,
fruit, sweets and other articles of food are often exposed for sale
in the open street without any protection from flies and dust in
dry weather, or from being bespattered with particles of mud in
wet weather.
The Public Health (Meat) Regulations, 1924, are a great step
in the right direction, and a special report on the working of
these Regulations in the Borough will be found on page 126. The
necessity for the thorough inspection of food and food premises
is apparent and a card index has been prepared of all premises
connected with the preparation of food for sale, and of the conditions
found on inspection and reinspection; the necessity for this