H—3l

Attention to these and similar points has resulted in a great improvement in bacteriological quality. In 1946 it was not unusual to find that samples of ice-cream at the factory gave analyses a» under:— Total Count Per Cubic Centimetre. B. Coli. 13,300,000 .. .. .. .. P. in 0-1 c.c. 2,180,000 .. .. .. .. P. in 0-0001 c.c. These might be compared with recent analyses:— Pasteurizer mix— Total Count. B. Coli. A.. .. .. .. .. .. 2,600 A in 1 c.c. A in 1 c.c. 8.. .. .. .. .. .. 1,400 A in 1 c.c. A in 1 c.c. C .. .. .. .. .. .. 0 A in 1 c.c. D .. .. .. .. .. .. A in 1 c.c. Homogenizer— A.. .. .. .. .. .. 2,400 A in 1 c.c. A in 1 c.c. 8.. .. .. .. .. .. 15,000 Ain 1 c.c. A in 1 c.c. C .. .. .. .. .. .. 0 A in 1 c.c. D .. .. .. .. .. .. A in 1 c.c. Cooler — A .. .. .. .. .. .. 5,000 A in 1 c.c. A in 1 c.c. 8.. .. .. .. .. .. 4,200 Ain 1 c.c. A in 1 c.c. C .. .. .. .. .. .. 100 A in 1 c.c. D .. .. .. .. .. .. A in 1 c.c. Ageing-vat—• 8.. .. .. .. .. .. 16,500 Ain 1 c.c. A in 1 c.c. C .. .. .. .. .. .. 0 A in 1 c.c. D .. .. .. .. .. .. A in 0-001 c.c. Churn— A . . .. .. .. .. .. 1,600 A in 1 c.c. A in 1 c.c. 8.. .. .. .. .. .. 9,200 Ain 0-1 c.c. A in 1 c.c. C .. .. .. .. .. .. 300 A in 1 c.c. D .. .. .. .. .. .. A in 0-01 c.c. Container— A .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,800 A in 1 c.c. 200 A in 1 c.c. 8.. .. .. .. .. .. 5,200 Ain 0-01 c.c. A in 1 c.c. C.. .. .. .. .. .. 2,100 Ain 0-001 c.c. D .. .. .. .. .. .. A in 0-01 c.c. Although the quality of ice-cream as it now leaves the factory may be considered as satisfactory the position with regard to retail sale in shops is very different, a marked deterioration in quality being evident. The same degeneration in the quality of ice-cream during retail sale was commented on by Turbott in a survey carried out in Gisborne in 1933(2). This is indicated by the following table. The tests were made on the ordinary 3d. ice-cream served from a bulk container in a retail shop. Sampling was done with a sterile spoon and not with the shop server, which is well known as a fertile source of contamination. In one instance the water in which the ice-cream dipper was stored showed a plate count of 8,400,000 organisms per cubic centimetre.

27

Manufacturer. Plate Count. B. coli. A 9,000 A in 0 001 c.c. B 190,000 A in 0-001 c.c. 110,000 A in 0-001 c.c. S 1,530,000 A in 0-0001 c.c. 65,000 A in 0-001 c.c. 156,000 A in 0-001 c.c. 69,000 A in 0-001 c.c. 29,000 P in 0-0001 c.c. 120,000 A in 0-001 c.c. C 51,000 P in 0-0001 c.c. 950,000 P in 0-0001 c.c. D 910,000 P in 0-0001 c.c.