View report page

42
INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD AND
FOOD PREMISES.
The supervision of preparation and manufacture of foodstuffs
in the borough shows a continual increase both in variety and
quantity and considerable time has to be devoted by the Food
Inspectors to enable them to keep pace with the alterations introduced
in manufacture. 4,225 visits were made to food premises
during the year.
Inspection has shown that premises used for the production or
storage of foodstuffs are slowly being improved, but the handicaps
mentioned in my annual report for last year, namely, the difficulty
in obtaining necessary licences or materials, still cause delay since
most licences required in these cases exceed the amount the local
authority is permitted to issue for business premises.
Milk Supply.—At the end of the year one cowkeeper, 71 dairies
and milkshops, 98 dairymen (including those whose premises are
situated outside the Borough) and 253 purveyors of milk in sealed
receptacles remained on the register. In no case was it found
necessary to refuse registration or to remove a retailer from the
Register under Section 22 of the Food and Drugs Act, 1938.
Milk (Special Designations) Regulations, 1936-46.—Under the
Milk (Special Designations) Regulations 34 principal licences
and 11 supplementary licences were granted. Of the principal
licences 1 was in respect of pasteurising establishments, 19 were
dealers' licences for the sale of pasteurised milk and 13 were dealers'
licences for the sale of tuberculin-tested milk.
Four hundred and sixteen samples were taken of milk sold
under special designations and 37 of these were found not to conform
to the requirements of the Regulations. The vendors of these
samples were warned and advice given to enable the cause of the
adverse reports to be rectified. The practice of submitting all
samples of pasteurised milk to the phosphatase test was again
followed and 4 samples were reported positive by this test. These
samples were examined for tubercle bacilli with negative results.
Unsound Food.—The total weight of foodstuff inspected and
condemned during the year shows a considerable increase, particularly
in the case of several commodities. In the case of fish,
this was largely due to delays, caused by inclement weather, in the
transport of fresh water fish from Denmark and Sweden and imported
by several fish merchants in the Borough.
With regard to pickles, sauces, etc., the abnormal increase
was the result of the return of large quantities of American Army