INSPECTION OF FOOD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17866, 22 August 1921, Page 7

INSPECTION OF FOOD.

*S!LK SUPPLY SUPERVISION.

PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIVITIES.

HIGH STANDARD MAINTAINED.

Marry of the ictivitiesof thePnblic Health Department do not some prominently imder the notice of the general public, nevertheless a watchful eye is kept upon various matters that affect the public well-being. Many people are probably under the impression that the primary duties of the Health Department consist of keeping a list of cases of infectious diseases, and sending a man round to look at the drains every now and again, with sudden access of additional activity in times of influenza epidemics. The duties of the department are considerably wider than this, however, and one of the most important of them is the keen suxvaiJAanoe exercised in regard to Auckland's food supply. The Public Health shares with the Agricultural Department the responsibility of seeing that the milk supply is kepi pure. The latter department exercises supervision over conditions in the milking sheds, the owners of which are compelled to comply with certain regulations with regard to the cleanliness of the sheds, cows, milkers and vessels, and the treatment of the milk itself, which ia required to be cooled immediately after the nuiking. As soon as the milk is sent out on the rounds it comes under the (supervision of the public health inspectors. These men are astir early in the morning, and they catch the milkman on his rounds, inspecting the cans, occasional'y taking samples, which are sent to the Public Health Laboratory for anhlvsis.

Private Mills Tests. The large milk-vending firms, some of which have a long list of suppliers, also carry out frequent tests on their own account, a precaution taken in their own interests, as well as that of the public. The total number of tests thus taken, private and official!, is probablv somewhere in the neighbourhood of 3000 a year, and the fart that last year there were only three prosecutions speaks well for the average standard of Auckland's milk supply. Tbe_ test taken in Auckland is not the bacteriological analysis taken in the United States and other countries, but is made to ascertain the chemical composition of the milk, including the percentage of solids. If the latter falls below a certain standard, prosecution follows. The main advantage of the bacteriological test is that it reveals any uncleanliness, but in a country where the ini'.k supply is run on a comparatively small scale, it is he'd that constant inspection is sufficient safeguard against uncleanliness. while the detection of an offender is also a very much easier matter than it would be in the United States. In a word, suppliers here cannot afford to take the same risks that can be taken in larger cent-.-es. In cases of infectious sickness where the milk supply may be under suspicion" the health inspectors, instead of re'.ying upon a bacteno'ogical test, go straight to the source of supply and get a thorough history of conditions there, also with regard to the health of all those handling the milk.

Cleanliness of Shops. In addition to inspection of the milk Bnpply. the public hea'th inspectors keep an eye on butchers', bakers', and fruiterers' shops in the suburbs. This work is done in the city by city council officials, but the suburban shops come under the jurisdiction of the Health Department. If a shop, or its back-yard, is found to be in d:rty condition, the occupier is served with a notice to clean it up immediately, but on the whole-the number of those who fail to comply with the requisite condition of c'eanliness would not appear to be large. The weighing of foodstuffs, of bread, butter, honey, and articles packed and sold according to weight is another matter in which the interests of the public are safeguarded by the department. When it is found that any of thesj foods fall under a certain weight, a warning is issued to the firm of packers, and careful watch is kept to see that they mend their ways.

The Duty of Consumers. The matter of a pure food supply is largely in the hands of the public, for it is the privilege and duty of consumers to immediately report to trie authorities any cases of laxity that come under their attention. They can insist on a good standard being maintained by promptly drawing official attention to any instance of impurity of food or lack of cleanHness of premises where it, is offered for sale. By doing this, they will not onlv great" y aid the work of the authorities, but will he 7 p to ensure that high standard of purity of food supplies that the community has a right to expect.