[Report 1968] / Medical Officer of Health, Leeds City.

  • Leeds City Council
Date:
1968
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1968] / Medical Officer of Health, Leeds City. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Pentachloronitrobenzene in 3. The last named chemical, a fimgicide, was present in 3 sam.ples of imported lettuce. It had not previously been encountered and final confirmation of its identity was obtained by use of an infra-red spectrophotometer in the Department of Food and Leather Science at Leeds University. The original 2-year survey ended on the 31st July. It will be recalled that this laboratory accepted responsibility for organising the survey for the North Eastern Zone comprising the counties of Yorkshire, Durham and Northumberland. In the course of the two years Local Authorities in the Zone took a total of 680 samples of which 284 (41 per cent) contained traces of pesticide residues. At first sight this widespread distribution of pesticides in foodstuffs is disturbing, but the actual quantities present were, in most cases, very small. Nevertheless, the problem is one which requires continued vigilance and pending a decision on the continuation of the National Survey a selection of the samples submitted to this Laboratoiy for routine analysis is being tested for pesticide residues. DRUGS 5 of the 22 samples were reported against. A pronounced soapy taste in three bottles of Cough Mixture (of the same brand) was found to be due to the unusually high fat content of one of the major ingredients (Extract of Squill). A bottle of Halibut Liver Oil Capsules was not labelled in the manner required by the British Pharmacopoeia, The deposit in a bottle of dispensed Medicine proved to be cotton fibres. BACTERIOLOGICAL SAMPLES 683 samples were submitted to the statutory tests, the results being shown in the Table below. The Methylene Blue Test measures the keeping quality of the milk and the Phosphatase Test the efficiency of pasteurisation. The Turbidity Test, which is only carried out on Sterised Milk, shows whether or not such milk has been sufficiently heated. For the first time samples of U,H,T, (Ultra-heat Treated) Milk were submitted. This is milk which has been processed at ultra-high temperatures (not less than 270 F for one second) then filled into containers under aseptic conditions. It will keep for several weeks and has not the ’cooked’ flavour of sterilised milk, A special test (the Colony Count Test) is prescribed for this category. Designation Number examined Number of sam:ples failing test Percentage unsatisfactory Methylene Blue Phosphatase Turbidity Colony Count Pasteurised 398 Nil Nil Nil Sterilised 96 — — Nil — Nil U.H.T. 8 — — — Nil Nil Untreated 181 14 — — — 7.7 TOTAL 683 14 - - — 2.05 123