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Although there is no statutory standard limiting the lead content of foods, the Food Standards
Committee reported in 1954 recommending a limit of 10 parts per million in tea. The Public
Analyst has reported lead contamination as high as 140 parts per million in Formosa Teas.
To quote from the Food Standards Committee's Report:
"Lead is one of the most widespread and serious of the metallic contaminants of food
and drink. Many foods contain naturally small amounts of lead ; but the principal sources of
lead contamination are the use of lead, lead alloys and lead compounds in food processing
plant, in the piping by which water and other fluids are conveyed, and in agriculture
insecticides.
Lead, unlike most other poisons, is stored in the body, and however little is absorbed
and stored, there is always the danger that this stored lead may be released and produce
toxic effects, Lead poisoning may be brought to light following acute infection and certain
other clinical conditions may result in release of immobilised lead.
The daily amount of lead ingested is the sum of the minute quantities present in the
components of the diet, each of which may contribute apparently insignificant amounts, but
the total daily intake in the food may, in course of time, add up to a possible hazard to
health. The only way of removing this hazard is to eliminate lead from foods and drink."
These contaminated teas are detained in the Port of London or at City Warehouses until
acceptable arrangements have been made for blending with other teas in such proportions that the
lead content is reduced well within the recommended limit of 10 parts per million, or for reexportation
to outside the United Kingdom.
The source of lead contamination in Formosa teas has not been established but investigations
are being carried out at source. Lead foil linings, at one time generally used for chested
tea, have been replaced by aluminium foil linings as a contribution towards the elimination of
this type of contamination.
The circumstances arising from the control of tea imports have accentuated the anomaly of
differing standards applicable by the Port and City of London. In the City of London, the Corporation
are the Food and Drugs Authority and the powers of the Food and Drugs Act 1955 are
exercisable by them. The Port Health Authority is not a Food and Drugs Authority and is limited
to the exercise of the powers granted by the Public Health (Imported Food) Regulations 1937
and 1948.
Under the Imported Food Regulations the criteria justifying condemnation are disease,
unsoundness, unwholesomeness or unfitness for human consumption.
These Regulations would doubtless justify action in the case of excessive lead content as
being unfit for human consumption, and for mould or staleness as being unwholesome, but it is
very doubtful whether action could legally be taken in the case of an adulterant such as sand,
or a case of tea containing 80% stalk, although these could be dealt with under the Food and
Drugs Act, 1955.
The Public Analyst also finds himself in difficulties in applying differing criteria to the
same commodity.
Sampling in the Port of London and the City of London is complementary, any consignments
destined for City warehouses being allowed forward for sampling at the warehouse.
During the year, 5.364 samples were taken for analytical examination, 3,571 by Port Health
Inspections and 1,793 by City Food Inspectors, of which 26 were reported as contaminated with
lead in varying amounts up to 140 p.p.m., and one as chemically contaminated. This gives a
rejection rate of 0.5%.
In addition to rejections on account of metallic contamination 29½ tons of tea have been
coudemned for reasons of unwholesomeness and unfitness for human consumption. This is
invariably disposed of under guarantee for caffeine extraction.
Imported Egg Products
Imported egg products continue to be regularly sampled for bacteriological examination upon
discharge in the Port of London and at the City riverside wharves.