HEALTH NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3783, 14 September 1926, Page 15

HEALTH NOTES.

FOODSTUFFS. HYGIENIC HANDLING. Contributed by the Department of Health. Constant attention is given by officers of the Health Department to .food premises and eating houses, to minimise as far as possible the contamination of foods supplied to the public by vendors. The risks to health arising from the consumption of contaminated food is a real and urgent matter, as is evidenced from time to time by acute food pe somng 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 animal origin. The human being can infect food by bacteria harboured in the bowel or in the respiratory tract. The risk from animal sources is attributable to their intestinal bacteria and organisms 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 us now consider the individual classes of foodstuffs and their 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 dead state by a Government veterinarian and meat in spectors, who condemn wholly or in part any -nsound carcase. In meat the cell death is comparatively rapid, and this being so, putrefaction is liable to set in early lienee every effort must be made te retard this change as long as possible by storage in refrigerators immediately tlie body heat has passed off. This cold storage is necessary till shortly before sale. Meat for local consumption should not be s»> stored for more than three weeks, as if held longer moulds form upon the carcase and liquefaction of tissue takes place due t~ the presence of ferments therein. Meats are kept oyer longer periods by corning, pickling, spicing, or smoking. By processing in tins can keep wholesome for years provided the processing temperature is miffiiceut. We include poultry, game, fish, shellfish, and crustaceans under the title meat. Meat is a good medium for the growth of bacteria. FISII. Change in the state of this food is more rapid than meat in general, and it is also subject to great seasonal variations of quality in any particular kind of fish. The transport conditions for the forwarding of this food are not, yet rapid enough, nor are the railway vans specially constructed for this purpose. Great improvements could be effected in this way. Crayfish are not readily contaminated after they are boiled, provided they are kept intact, as tlieir protective body covering prevents this taking place under ordinary conditions in fish shops. The same applies to prawns and shrimps. These latter are readily 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 be free from sewage pollution, and approved by the Marine Department. Shellfish should not be immersed in waters of harbours or river mouths owing to possible risk of sewage waters. Shellfish have been responsible for many eases of enteric fever at different times. MILK. The greatest care is necessary in handling this food, as it forms a perfect medium in which disease germs can multiply 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, 39 eases of scarletina in another, and an outbreak of diphtheria in a third. Bovine tuberculosis can be contracted through milk. Cholera and dysentry have been caused by use of infected milk. Ice creams, etc., are liable to be infected, due to careless preparation and handling. BREAD AND CONFECTIONERY. Bread, owing to its absence of outside moisture, is not conducive to the growth of disease-provoking organisms, and hence it rarely offends in this respect. Cakes and cream or jelly fillings or those coated with soft icing are the most productive of harm, due to bacteria becoming established in the fillings. Confectionery, such as fudge, marshmallows, 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, tigs, and prunes are unnecessarily exposed in windows. Contamination of meals, flour, etc., takes place as the result of Mediterranean moths, weevils, cookroaches, etc. Figs, prunes, etc., are also attacked by weevils and mites. General lines of groceries arc reasonably safe foods. FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. In the majority of fruits and jvegetables, the jell death is not very rapid if we exdude watercress, lettuce, mustard cress, and spinach. It must be borne in mind that as vegetables grow below or close to the surface of ranured ground this class of foodstuff is invariably contaminated at its source to some degree. The storage of fruit and vegetables 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 by dogs. At night l Jiese stages and containers are taken within

the shop carrying a regular supply of material, capable of infecting quite a number of fruits or \egetables if stored in that vicinity before any serious cleansing is underta! Lettuce, watercress, and spinach should he 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 ma. ket should be of potable oualß'. Watercress should only be culled from an approved source. IMPORTED FOODSTUFFS.

With this class of foodstuffs it is always desirable to know the general conditions pertaining as to preparation, handling, storage, etc., in the country of origin. That this class is not negligible, the following particulars extracted from the annual report of the Comptroller of Customs show:—Tinned meats from China, 361 b. Bacon from United Kingdom 7911 b, bacon from Australia 2631b—--10541b; hams from United Kingdom 2001 b, hams from China 121b —2121 b. Meat unenumerated from Australia. 142,6881 b. Fish —tinned, frozen, smoked or dried, various countries, 4.358,719 lb. Poultry from Australia, 1519 pairs. Milk and cream, preserved, condensed, or evaporated and dried, mostly Australian. 93,4751 b. Butter—ll.s36lb, of the total came from Fiji. 13,4401 b. Cheese—various sources, 21281 b. Eggs—all from Australia, 22,530 dozen. whites and yolks, 6001 b. Liquid whites and yolks, 281 b. Nuts edible—almonds mainly from 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 supplies 404,994 lb). Other nuts—various countries. 1.430.6111 b (of these China supplies 635.0361 b, and Dutch East Indies 402,0011 b).

Add to these items such as tinned fruits, vegetables, soups, meals, sugar, flour, etc., and the figures 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.