Report of the Director-General of Public Health, New South Wales.
- New South Wales. Department of Public Health
- Date:
- [1971]
Licence: In copyright
Credit: Report of the Director-General of Public Health, New South Wales. Source: Wellcome Collection.
218/292 page 216
![net around many samples was found to be heavily contaminated with faecal indicator organisms. Very few smallgoods manufacturers are equipped to carry out microbiological testing of the raw materials, finished products, equipment, floors, benches, etc. The standard of hygiene in such plants, particularly small factory units, tends to be very poor. This fact has been established by factory inspections made by food inspectors. Probably the most effective way of improving this situation would be following up each factory survey with an adequate instruction in the principles of food hygiene. One hundred and twenty-eight samples of oysters, both in the shell and bottle were collected from various parts of the State for microbiological examination. Twenty-four (18-8 per cent) of the samples were found to exceed the limits prescribed under the Pure Food Regulations. Many samples were collected by food inspectors from the Georges River. The main source of pollution in this area still appears to be overflow from septic tanks, run off from garbage tips and small farms. Sewage outfalls are thought to play a prominent part. Oysters should not be harvested from the Georges River shortly after heavy rain. A survey was undertaken to determine the bacteriological effectiveness of disinfectants available to the public at the retail level. This survey was carried out in co-operation with the Health Inspection Branch. Of forty disinfectants examined twenty-six were found to be ineffective at the manufacturers recommended dilution. This survey will continue throughout 1972. Thirty cans of Vichyssoise gourmet-type soup were examined for the presence of Clostridium botulinum organisms and the toxin produced by these. No can was found to be positive for either toxin or organism. Two cans were innoculated with Clostridium botulinum type A and type B as a test of our detection techniques and were found to support growth and produce toxins of these two organisms. The examination of the Bon Vivant brand Vichyssoise soups collected from retail shops in Sydney metropolitan area followed a report that an outbreak of botulism had occurred in the United States and had been traced to the consumption of this product. Two fatalities were recorded in this outbreak. Because the soup mostly contained potato it was thought that the type of Clostridium botulinum involved was type B. Type B is commonly isolated from areas of agricultural importance in the United States. Type A on the other hand is found mostly in virgin soils. The United States Department of Health requested that all foreign countries follow their action in having all products produced by the Bon Vivant company withdrawn from sale. The Bon Vivant company has since gone into liquidation. Canned soups examined in the United States, from a batch other than the one implicated in the poisoning were found to contain toxin of type A Clostridium botulinum. The affected batch was identified but had not been dispatched to Australia. A further investigation undertaken by the United States Department of Health revealed that a faulty retort had been responsible for the underprocessing of this particular batch. The Food Bacteriology laboratory is now using a fluorescent antibody technique for the rapid detection of vegetative cells of Clostridium botulinum. A survey to determine the microbiological status of goat milk was undertaken in 1971. Twenty samples were collected from various parts of the State and examined. It is well known that goat milk is not pasteurized and is frequently sold privately for consumption by children. Results obtained so far indicate that in many cases goat milk is handled and stored under poor conditions of hygiene. This survey is being carried out in co-operation with the Dairy Bacteriology laboratory of the State Department of Agriculture. The officer-in-charge of the Food Bacteriology Section was closely associated with the setting-up of the Food Microbiology Group of the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology. The inaugural meeting was held in the laboratories of this Division and approximately eighty persons inspected our facilities. It is the intention of this group to work with the Department in setting-up regular courses in food hygiene for supervisory staff in the food industry. It is considered that many persons employed as food supervisors in public and Departmental hospitals will also benefit from this scheme. Plans were also made by this group to organize a National School of Public Health Microbiology to provide practical instruction in this area for technicians and scientists in the food industry. PESTICIDES SECTION Seven hundred and eighty-two samples were analysed during the year compared with two hundred and fifty-six the previous year. Most of the work was related to the determination of chlorinated pesticides with only a few samples being examined for organophosphates and herbicides. The type of samples analysed were as follows: Cows milk .. .. .. .. .. ,. .. t, 70 Human milk .. .. .. .. .. .. _ 22 Blood .. .. .. .. .. .. ,. _ 228 Human fat .. .. .. .. .. t 140 Foods .. .. .. .. ., t # ]39 Water .. .. . . .. .. .. _ 51 Toxicology specimens .. .. . ' ,. .. 45 Animal specimens .. .. .. .. , t , 50 Other samples. ’ ’ 27](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b31485625_0218.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
