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38
Ice-Cream and Preserved Food.—During the year a draft of
the proposed Ice-Cream (Heat Treatment) Regulations was published.
The Regulations which have now been issued are intended
to afford better protection of the public health against risk of
infection from the consumption of ice-cream. They require that the
ingredients of ice-cream shall be heat-treated after being mixed and
the mixture then cooled until the freezing process is begun and
maintained at a temperature of not more than 28 deg. F., or the
use only of pasteurised pre-packed powder needing the addition of
water only, to be known as a "complete oold mix." The Regulations
also contain a requirement that ice-cream during its manufacture,
storage and distribution shall at all times be protected from
contamination. In connection with these prospective changes many
of the manufacturers are installing pasteurisers and emulsifiers in
preparation for the considerable increase in consumption of icecream
that they believe will take place.
Premises used for the manufacture, storage and sale of ice-cream
or for the preparation or manufacture of sausages or potted, pressed,
pickled or preserved food are required to be registered by Section 14
of the Food and Drugs Act, 1938. At the end of the year the
number of premises remaining on the register was :—
Ice-Cream 203
Sausages, etc 151
Street Traders in Food.—A considerable increase in the number
of licences issued to street traders has taken place, and inspection
of the storage places of traders retailing foodstuffs has been
necessary. Difficulty has been found by many applicants in
obtaining suitable storage places before licences could be issued, and
it was necessary in some instances to supervise closely those persons
who were beginning .to trade in perishable foods for the first time.
Pharmacy and Poisons.—The names and addresses of 110
persons remained on the Council's list of persons entitled to sell
poisons under Part 2 of the Pharmacy and Poisons Act, 1933. No
action was necessary in respect of any offence under the Act.
Food Poisoning.—One case of food poisoning was notified
during the year. The patient suffered only temporary indisposition
and fully recovered in a few days.