HC Deb 15 November 1946 vol 430 cc6-8W
Mr. Peter Freeman

asked the Minister of Food the amount of food condemned as unfit for human consumption after importation into this country during the last year, analysed in the most convenient categories available.

MR. STRACHEY, pursuant to his reply (Official Report, 30th October, 1946, Vol. 428, C. 96), supplied the following information:

The quantities of imported foods condemned during the past 12 months as unfit for human consumption are shown in column 3 of the following table. The figures include all food condemned whilst under the control of my Department, but exclude quantities condemned by local sanitary inspectors out of stocks held by traders. Columns 2 and 4 are inserted solely for the purposes of comparison as the figures in column 3 include not only condemnations out of imports during the

Commodity. Year ended 30th September, 1946
Total Imports. Total quantities condemned as unfit for human food. Per cent, of Col. 3 to Col. 2.
(1) (2) (3) (4)
Tons. Tons.
1. Eggs—
(i) Shell 53,500 142 .26
(ii) Dried 42,000 46 .11
(iii) Frozen 6,700 7 .10
2. Fresh Fruit and Vegetables 439,627 214.2 .05
3. Meat—
(i) Frozen 860,000 227.5 .03
(ii) Canned 221,000 1,022.5 .46
(iii) Frozen Poultry 8,500 — —
(iv) Frozen Rabbits 11,000 — —
4. Fish (other than canned) 1,009,500 (a) 2,000 (a) .19
5. Oils and Fats— —
(i) Hog Lard and Imported Compounds 48,125 (b) 15 .03
(ii) Premier Jus. Stearine and Edible Tallows 15,500 (b) 191 1.23
(iii) Oil Seeds 994,776 (b) 370 .03
6. Milk Products—
(i) Butter 210,000 350 .17
(ii) Cheese 191,000 10 .01
(iii) Condensed Milk 62,000 384 .61
(iv) Milk Powder 24,000 3 .01
7. Cereals—
(i) Wheat 3,334,495 1,133 .03
(ii) Flour 662,750 171.5 .02
(iii) Oat Products 1,062 1 .09
(iv) Pulse 59,980 434 .72
(v) Soya 11,920 38 .32
8. Dried Fruits 147,300 158 .10
9. Edible Nuts 20,801 11 .05
10. Maize Starch 66,526 — —
11. Canned Fruit 15,254 25.5 (c) .16
12. Canned Vegetables 6,969 28.0 (c) .40
13. Canned Jam and Marmalade 16,178 .7(c) .004
14. Spices 9,616 — —
15. Bacon and Ham 194,696 (b) 11.9 .006
16. Cocoa (raw) 115,100 — —
17. Coffee (raw) 44,960 4 .009
18. Tea 161,600 393 .24
19. Sugar 1,364,705 1.5 .0001
20. Fish Canned 78,600 62.8 .07
Gallons. Gallons.
21. Citrus Fruit Juices 3,501,110 5,049 .14
Tons. Tons.
22. Fruit Pulp 30,933 18 .05
23. Miscellaneous Canned Foods — 633 —
(a) Includes fish landed from British vessels.
(b) Figures relate to the 12 months ended 31st August, 1946; the September, 1946 figure not being available.
(c) Excludes some small quantities included under item 23.

12 months, but also quantities condemned out of stocks. Foodstuffs condemned as unfit for human consumption are utilised to the maximum possible extent as animal food or for industrial purposes