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as follows:—Three samples contained 3.88, 2.70 and 1.85 grains of tin per pound
of cheese, four contained only traces too small to estimate and in three no indication
of the presence of tin could be obtained. Views differ considerably on the
toxicological effect of tin and its compounds, but it is obvious that the use of
metallic wrappers for foodstuffs needs careful watching.
It may be interesting to add that in no case was preservative found to be
present in any sample of milk or cream.
J. KEAR COLWELL.
Efforts are repeatedly made to co-operate in any way possible with the
vendors of food in the Borough and to assist them in the observance of the Regulations.
In this connection a communication was sent to the retailers of sausages
drawing attention to the provision respecting the sale of sausages containing
preservative, and opportunity is taken by the Inspectors during their visits to retail
shops to remind the proprietors or managers that preserved sausages can be sold
without a label being attached to the package handed to the customer if a notice
to the effect that the article contains preservative is exhibited in a conspicuous
place in the shop so as to be easily readable by a customer. This provision conveniently
meets cases where sausages already packed by the wholesaler are divided
in the retail shop for sale in smaller quantities. In such cases it happens that
when sold by retail one-half of the divided package has on it the wholesaler's
declaration of the presence of preservative, but the second portion has no such
declaration. The retailer is protected if a general notice as mentioned above is
exhibited in the shop.
Cream Cheese.
A request was received from a company of provision dealers that an examination
should be made of a quantity of cream cheeses of Italian production delivered
to them from a warehouse where they had been deposited two months previously.
The cheese was divided, into small portions each being wrapped in tin foil. The
consignment consisted of 104 cases of Petit Gruyere, each case containing 50
boxes with 12 portions of cheese in each box. On inspection it appeared that the
moisture in the cheese had acted on the metallic covering. Ten samples of the
cheese from different cases were taken for chemical examination. The Borough
Analyst reported that in seven of the 10 samples examined evidence of the presence
of tin was disclosed; also that on opening the boxes it was observed that the
metallic wrappings of the cheese were in many cases in a state of disintegration
and it was difficult to separate the particles of foil from the cheese. For the
purposes of the examination the metallic wrapping was removed as far as possible
and the tin content of the cheese wasi then determined. Following the examination
of the cheese a communication was sent to the Company concerned that the
104 cases of cream cheese from which; the samples were taken should not be sold
in this country for human consumption but could be disposed of for pig food.
Subsequently a communication was received from the Company that the whole
consignment of 104 cases had been shipped to another country.