HEALTH NOTES

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 5 October 1926, Page 10

HEALTH NOTES

FOODSTUFFS.

HYGIENIC HANDLING riv-’VL ____ (Contributed by the Department ot Health.) g’ ; : . Constant attention is given by officers at th© Health Department to food premises 'and eating-tiouse-s, to minimise as far as possible the contamination of foods supplied to the public by vendor®. The risks to health arising from the i; consumption of contaminated food is a ' real and urgent matter, as is evidenced from time to time by acute food poison- , ing outbreaks. The various regulations issued by the Health Department are carefully drawn up, and if fully observed will undoubtedly effect that degree of safety which is their object. The majority of .serious food poisoning outbreaks are caused by contamination due to bacteria of human or ani-

mal origin. The human being can in- . feet food by bacteria harboured in the bowel or in the respiratory tract. The risk from animal sources is attributable to. their intestinal bacteria and organ|;fsms' present on their feet picked up in ' walking or running over unwholesome . matter and later, transferring same to the food of man upon which they feed. Flies, cockroaches, beetles, etc., infect food by filth present upon their legs and bodies after feeding upon excreta, •of various sorts, and subsequently' walking upon our food in their act of further feeding. Let u$ now consider the individual classes of foodstuffs -and theii; risks. MEAT.

This is derived in this country in greater part from home supplies of cattle, sheep, lambs and; pigs, killed in municipal abattoirs or licensed slaughter yards and subject to careful inspection both in the live and deed state by a Government veterinarian and meat inspectors, who condemn wholly or ii\ part any unsound carcases. In meat the cell death is comparatively rapid, and this being so, putrefaction is liable to set in early, hence every effort must be made' to retard this change as long as possible by storage in refrigerators immediately the body heat has passed off. This cold storage is necessary till shortly be tore sale. Meat for local consumption should not' be stored for more than three weeks, as it held longer moulds form upon, the carcases And liquefaction of tissue takes place, due to the presence of ferments therein. Meats are kept over longer .periods by coming, pickling, spicing, or smoking. Bv processing in tins they can keep wholesome for years, provided the processing temperature is sufficient. We include poultry, game, fish, shellfish and crustaceans under the title meat. Meat is a. good medium for the growth of bacteria. FISH.

Change in the state of this foodi is more rapid than meat in general, and it is also subject to great seasonal variations of quality in any particular kiud of fish. The transport conditions for the forwarding of this food are not rapid, enough, nor are the railway vans specially constructed for this purpose. 'Great improvement could be effected! m this way. Crayfish are not readily contaminated after thev are boiled, provided thev are kept intact, as their protective body covering prevents this taking place under ordinary conditions irf fish shops. The same applies, to prawns and shrimps. These latter are readilv infected if removed from out of their bony shell coverings. SHELLFISH.

These comprise oysters, pipis, toheroas, mussels, etc. It is. highly necessary that these be obtained only from beds which are known to he free from sewage -pollution, and approved by the Marine Department. Shellfish should -not, be -immersed in waters of harbours or river mouths owing to the- possible risk of sewage waters. Shellfish have lupen responsi ble- for many of enteric fever ft different times. MILK.

The greatest care- is necessary in handling this- food, as it forms a per•fect medium in which disease germs can multiplv very rapidly should they gain an entrance. Home pasteurisation, particularly in the hotter months, is always advisable. Milk -has been responsible for an outbreak of enteric fever in one New Zealand city, thirtynine cases of scarlatina in another, and an outbreak of diphtheria in a third. Bovine tuberculosis can be contracted through milk. Cholera and dysentery -have been caused by use of infected milk. Ice creams, etc., are liable to lie infected, due to careless preparation and handling. BREAD AND CONFECTIONERY. Bread, owing to its absence of outside moisture, is not conducive to the .growths of disease-provoking organisms, and hence it rarely offends in this respect. Cakes with cream or jelly fillings or those coated with soft icing are th© most productive of harm, due to bacteria becoming established in the fillings. Confectionery, such, as fudge, marshmpilows; etc., generally have a considerable number of bacteria. These, if disease-producing, will probably cause harm. Instrumental handling of these- goods is desirable, by forks, scoops or tongs. GROCERIES.

Lines most readily contaminated are sugar, biscuits, cereals, tea, salt, and dried fruits, by handling or agency of flies. Dried fruits, raisins, dates, candied peel, currants, figs, and prunes are unnecessarily exposed in windows. Contamination of meals, flour, etc., takes place as the result of Mediterranean moths, weevils, cockroaches, etc. Figs, .prunes, etc., are n.',so attacked by weevils and mites. General lines of groceries are reasonably sale foods. FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. In. the majority of fruits and vegetables. the cel!' death is not very rapid if we exclude watercress, Jettucc, mustard cress, and spinach. It must be borne in mind that- as vegetables grow below or close to the surface of manured ground, this class of foodstuff is invariable contaminated at it© source to some degree. The storage of fruit ■and vegtables -on stages or containers outside -shopfronts allows of contamination of these foodstuffs by allowing the deposition of street dust to form

thereon. Again, there is probable pollution bv dogs. At night these stages and containers are taken within the shon carrying a regular supply of material, capable of -infecting quite a number of fruits or vegetables if stored in. that vicinity before any serious cleansing is undertaken. Lettuce, watercress, and spinach should be transported in light boxes, free from the pressure of other vegetables. The handling and storage of fruit and vegetables in market rooms leaves room "for great improvement. Water used for washing vegetables for the market should be of potable quality. Watercress should only be culled from ant approved source. IMPORTED FOODSTUFFS.

With this class of foodstuffs it is always desirable to know the general con-

ditions pertaining as to preparation, handling, storage, etc., in the country of origin. That this o'ass is not negligible, the following particulars extracted from the annual report of the Comptroller of Customs show: Tinned meats from China. 36’ib. Bacon, from United Kingdom 791ft>, bacon, from Austral ia 2631b —10641 b;. hams from United Kingdom 20011), hams from China 1211)—2121b. Meat unenumerated from Australia. 142.69811). Fish —tinned, frozen, smoked or dried, various countries, 4,358,719 ft). Poultry from Australia.. 1519 pairs. Milk and cream, preserved, condensed, ori evaporated and dried, mostly Australian. 93,475 ft). Butter—ll.s36lb" of the total came from Fiji, 13,440 ft). Cheese —various sources, 2128 ft). Eggs—all from Australia, 22,580 dozen. Desiccated whites and v.olks 6001 b. Liquid whites and volks, 6001 b. T/iouid whites and yolks. 281 b. Nuts, edible—Almonds, mainly -font Italy and United Kingdom, 744,8701 b; coconuts from Fiji. Western Samoa, and Society Islands 3450; walnuts, various countries. 757.2951 b (of these China, supp’ies 404,994 00. Other nuts —various countries. 1.430.611 ft) (of these China supplies. 635.0361 b, and Dutch Eiast Indies 402.0011 b). Add to these items such as tinned fruits, vegetables, soups, meals, sugar, flour, etc., and the figure become considerable. For those specially, interested in precautionary measures with respect to foods, we would refer them to the special regulations obtainable from the Government Printer, Wellington.