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56
One sample of butter was found to be slightly rancid, and another contained green
colour suspected of being a mould growth. Examination showed that the green portion
contained 69 parts per million of copper. Two samples were submitted as rolls and
butter, but one was found to be spread with margarine and the other with a mixture of
margarine and butter.
Three loaves contained foreign material. One contained fibres resembling hemp,
probably part of a strand from a mop, another a piece of material about 3" x 2",
probably derived from fabric used for bags into which the formed loaves were dropped.
The third loaf contained 6 poppy seeds due doubtless to their use on other loaves.
67 currant and bun loaves were examined during the year in order to determine the
proportion of currants or fruit present, and whether there was any correlation between
the quantity of fruit present and the prices charged for the loaf. The quantity of
fruit present compared with the weight of the crumb ranged from 4.4 to 27.7 per cent,
and as so frequently happens in these cases, it was found that the percentage of fruit
bore no relationship to the price of the bread, either on the weight of loaf as sold
or when calculated per lb. of bread. Currant and bun loaves are not bought regularly
so that the purchaser has not the same information about which are the best makes as
he would have with his daily white bread and it was, therefore, suggested to bakers
that the quantity of swollen currants in a currant or bun loaf should be not less than
10 per cent in order to make the loaf sufficiently attractive, and to warrant the
price charged, which ranges from 1s. to 2s. 6d. per lb.
One sample of flour contained a maggot and a human hair and was accordingly
reported as adulterated. Another contained a cluster of about 20 protozoa, but the
other two portions of the sample and bags of the same flour were found to be free.
The millers examined several hundred-weight of flour and their premises carefully, but
were unable to offer any explanation as to why our sample alone appeared to have been
contaminated.
A cherry cake contained an object which resembled a metal spring, but was in fact
a seed pod of a plant named Medicago which periodically contaminates vine fruits and
has to be picked out by hand.
A Cornish pasty was mouldy and unfit for sale and, although the mould could not
be definitely identified, it probably consisted of a Fusarium species. A caramel
custard submitted as a complaint contained a dead fly which had become entangled in
the custard before cooking. The ingredients of a canned macaroni pudding were listed
incorrectly as the label stated that macaroni was in greater amount than the milk
similarly a junket powder was quite satisfactory except that the ingredients were not
declared in accordance with the requirements of the Labelling of Food Order. Three
ice lollies were also incorrectly labelled. Two were stated to contain a "Stabiliser",
but this must be declared by name and the third gave no list of ingredients at all.
The label of a tomato Juice cocktail said that it contained "condiments" but the word
condiments is not an accepted term. These must be specified as spices, herbs, salt,
or by other appropriate descriptions.
A cream soda bottle found to contain clumps of yeast with a few mould spores was
thought to have been improperly cleaned before filling with the soft drink.
A blackcurrant drink contained artificial colour but, if sold as a Blackcurrant
Vitamin C Drink and not as a soft drink, the constituents must be listed on the label,
whereas only ascorbic acid and sulphur dioxide was declared. Some grapefruit juice
contained 13.2 per cent of sugar and since the label showed that sugar and Vitamin C
had been added to the product it should not have been described as grapefruit juice.
A mineral water contained a felt of mould mycelium about ¾" in diameter. This
was a penicillin species, and as the culture inside the bottle appeared to be a pure
one the mould mycelium must have been due to a stray infection.