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1906] 276
In view of these matters it may be well to reproduce the recommendations
which the Departmental Committee made. They are as follows:—
(a) That the use of any preservative or colouring matter whatever in milk offered for sale
in the United Kingdom be constituted an offence under the Sale of Food and Drugs
Acts.
(b) That the only preservative which it shall be lawful to use in cream be boric acid or
mixture of boric acid and borax, and in amount not exceeding 0.25 per cent., expressed
as boric acid. The amount of such preservative to be notified by a label upon the
vessel.
(c) That the only preservative permitted to be used in butter and margarine be boric acid
or mixtures of boric acid and borax, to be used in proportions not exceeding 0.5 per
cent., expressed as boric acid.
In consequence of this communication the Public Health Committee
decided to ascertain the views of the Council's Public Analyst, as well as
those of the Medical Officer of Health on the subject, and accordingly, having
considered the matter, these officers reported there on.
(Copy.)
9, Mincing Lane,
London, E.C.
July 18 th, 1906.
W. F. Dewey, Esq.,
Town Clerk, Islington.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD CIRCULAR OF JULY 11th, 1906.
Dear Sir,
I have now had an opportunity of carefully considering the above circular, and
beg to lay my views before your Council.
The circular alludes to the Report of the Departmental Committee on Preservatives and
Colouring Matters in Food, one of whose recommendations was that no preservatives should
be added to milk.
The Local Government Board then further on recommends that proceedings should be
taken where preservatives are reported in milk.
The only proceedings which can be instituted under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts
are proceedings authorised by those Acts, and it is not competent for either a Departmental
Committee nor yet for the Local Government Board to change the law of England by in the
one case a "recommendation" or in the other case a "circular."
To refer in the first instance to the Departmental Committee. This Committee was
appointed under the following terms of reference:—