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20
INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD AND
FOOD PREMISES.
The difficulties and responsibilities attached to the inspection of
food continue to increase with the prolongation of the war and the
consequent restriction on the food supply generally. During 1942
the margin of safety between food fit for consumption and food unfit
for that purpose continued to remain very narrow in order to keep
the maximum amount of food available for human consumption on
the one hand and to safeguard the public health on the other. With
the same object in view a similar narrow margin of safety is
applied in the wholesale markets, and where there were transport
and other difficulties involving delay in delivery, the work of the
Inspectors was considerably increased, particularly as regards the
more perishable foods.
Food substitutes introduced to the market to take the place of
articles in short supply continued to provide an opportunity for
some traders to attempt to exploit the public with worthless frauds
with specious labels. Licensing of substitutes by the Ministry of
Food brought a measure of control, but from a public health aspect
the method of licensing was not entirely satisfactory. In some cases
licensed commodities were held not to comply with the Food and
Drugs Act although conforming to the conditions under which the
licence was granted but, as a result of prosecutions in various parts
of the country, tlhe position was clarified and the number of unsatisfactory
substitutes considerably reduced.
Every effort was made to maintain the standards in respect of
the conditions under which foodstuffs are prepared and distributed
but, owing to the shortage of labour and materials, few improvements
in this respect were possible.
There was an increase in the number of complaints received of
alleged unsound food. The increase was mainly caused by a heavy
incidence of milk souring during hot weather. This matter was
taken up with the appropriate department of the Ministry of Food
and the difficulty was removed.
No formal seizure of unsound food was necessary during the
year and, of the quantity of food condemned as unsound for human
consumption and surrendered by traders, the greater part was
utilised for animal feeding or converting to industrial uses.
Food premises generally were inspected and it was found
necessary to continue daily visits to the Ministry of Food Meat
Distributing Depot which serves Hackney and five adjoining
boroughs.