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X.—FOOD CONTROL.
It will be observed that out of 108 samples taken by the
Wharves Inspectors during the year, in 77 cases the investigation
has been concerned with the possibility of metallic contamination.
This subject has received the most careful attention of the officers
of this department who have, on a great many occasions, interviewed
the owners of suspected goods for the purpose of discussing
the treatment to be accorded to the particular goods in which
they had an interest. Copper, lead, tin, zinc and iron are the
contaminating metals which have been found in samples this
year. So far as iron is concerned, there was only one instance in
which this metal was found and in this case contamination of a
parcel of muscatels occurred as a result of careless stowing of
cargo.
The standard aimed at in this department is the total
exclusion of all metallic contamination from foodstuffs. This is,
of course, the highest possible standard and may be in some
instances unattainable. If it is argued by the merchant that
the standard is unobtainable in his particular product, the onus
is on him to support his view with the most impressive arguments
at his command and to convince the Medical Officer of Health
that his goods are free from harmful and unnecessary metallic
content. The position thus taken by the Public Health Department
explains why it is necessary so often to meet the owners of
goods who may be faced with considerable financial loss should
the goods be condemned. It is frequently contended that the
presence of metals in small quantities in food is not harmful. It
must be remembered, however, that if metallic contamination
be permitted in one variety of food it may occur in many others
and, consequently, the consumer may be the subject of repeated
small doses of metallic poison from a variety of different articles
of diet.
Of the metals mentioned, lead, copper and tin are the most
dangerous. Of zinc, it is not possible to say much more than
that it ought to be excluded from foodstuffs on the general
principle that all unnecessary contamination should be avoided.