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817 [1911
Butter and Margarine.—198 samples of butter and 40 samples of
margarine were examined, and of these 10 samples of butter, or 5 per cent.,
were adulterated, and 7 samples of margarine, or 17.5 per cent., were sold
contrary to the provisions of the Margarine Act. The adulteration of butter
is generally practised by substituting margarine for the genuine article.
It is only with great difficulty that the vendors of adulterated
butter are detected, because they are so wary that they will not serve a
customer until they have assured themselves positively that he or she is not an
agent of the Inspector appointed under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts.
This fact has been pointed out frequeutly, and, therefore, it is unnecessary to
enlarge further on it now.
Cheese.—40 samples of cheese, all of which were declared to be genuine,
were examined.
Lard.—20 samples of lard were submitted to the Analyst, and were
reported as genuine.
Groceries.—185 samples of articles usually described as groceries were
submitted to the Public Analyst, and of these 12, or 6.5 per cent., were
adulterated, as compared with 162 in 1910. and 28.3 per cent. in 1909.