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There are many other articles of food found from time to time to contain
preservative, e.g., milk, potted meat, fruit syrups, wine, etc. Dr. W. J. Howarth,
Medical Officer of Health of the City of London, recently reported on the presence
of boric acid in egg albumen or preserved eggs used for making sponge fingers
and savoy cakes. He also reported respecting preservatives found in coffee extract.
I was recently consulted by the Incorporated Institute of Hygiene in
connection with some lemon juice, which it was proposed to put on the market for
sale. The lemon juice contained a small amount of preservative, sulphite, which
the manufacturers state is a harmless preservative. This statement is incorrect:
sodium sulphite, even in minute amounts, interferes with the ferments and thus
influences the digestion. When injected under the skin death is caused by
paralysis of respiration. The substance, on account of its dangerous
properties, was forbidden in Germany as long ago as 1898; its use is also forbidden
in the United States of America from 1916 onwards. The manufacturers haveput
their product on the market to some extent and hope to make efforts to extend
their business shortly. In their trade literature they acknowledge the presence
of the preservative, a state of affairs which is deplorable, in view of the foregoing.
It might be contended that the absence of any legislation on the matter in
England reveals a state of affairs by no means flattering to our scientific record.
It would therefore seem desirable that such inquiry should be at once
undertaken and should extend not only to boric acid but to the use of numerous
other preservatives found in common articles of food.
The commonest complaints from which people suffer are indigestion and
headache arising from indigestion. These seriously interfere with efficiency and
comfort. In many cases they arise from the use of chemical preservatives found
in a variety of foods, taken day in and day out. A considerable amount of drugs
are thus consumed without medical supervision or advice.
Tt might be thought that the consumer has a right to know how much
drug is being taken with his food, so that if he so desires he can for his guidance
obtain an unbiassed and skilled technical opinion on the matter. It might
reasonably be held that manufacturers should be required to disclose the nature
and amount of chemical preservative in any article made or prepared by them
for sale for the food of man. At present disclosure is required only in connection
with the sale of preserved cream.
Some manufacturers are alive to the importance and reasonableness of
adequate disclosure, e.g., during the current year some samples of non-alcoholic
beverages purchased in this Borough have been labelled to contain salicylic acid
and samples of tinned peas, labelled to contain copper.
In other cases, where only small amounts of preservative have been found
and no disclosure thereof made, correspondence has ensued with the vendor and
the wholesaler or manufacturer suggesting the advisability of disclosure by label.
The following are extracts from replies recently received from manufacturers;—
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