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FOOD AND DRUGS
Samples of food and drugs submitted to the Public
Analyst during the year numbered 434 formal and 471 informal.
Two formal and six informal samples received adverse reports.
These included bread containing mouldy dough and insect
fragments, canned corned beef containing an excess of lead,
and incorrectly labelled condensed milk, Appropriate action
was taken in all cases.
Foreign objects are found in food from time to time
and during the year complaints were investigated of glass
in a milk bottle, a cigarette end in a loaf and a needle
in a biscuit. Legal proceedings were instituted in the
first two cases, but in the third case the complainant
was not prepared to give evidence.
With regard to unsound food, legal proceedings were
authorised in respect of the sale of a sliced wrapped loaf
affected by mould. The firm concerned, however, undertook
to date-stamp all wrapped bread in future and no further
action was taken.
A number of cans of corned beef in Leicester which
were sold from Camberwell were found to have been labelled
as produce of Argentina whereas the tins were stamped
'produce of Australia'. The tins, which were old stock,
had been re-labelled in error, but following the investigation
the firm concerned decided to cease this part of
its business.
Several complaints regarding the quality of food were
made by members of the public. This is an important aspect
of the work and all such complaints are fully and carefully
investigated. This has a double value in that it not only
protects the public if any form of adulteration or contamination
is detected, but equally protects the good name
of the manufacturer or vendor if the complaint proves to
be unjustified.
New legislation concerning the composition of food
included the Lead in Food Regulations, which control the
amount of lead permitted to be present in any article of
food.
Lead is a cumulative poison and even though the quantity
present in individual articles may be minute the total
amount ingested over a period of time may, unless its