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63
Food.
During 1924 public attention has been focused to
a considerable extent on the many questions connected
with the purity of our foodstuffs and the conditions
under which they are manufactured and kept. This
has been due, amongst other things, to the issue of
the report of the Departmental Committee of the
Ministry of Health on food preservatives and also to
the issue of the Public Health (Meat) Regulations, 1924.
These two matters are of some considerable importance
and it will not be out of place if I review them briefly.
The following is a summary of the conclusions and
recommendations of the Departmental Committee on
preservatives and colouring matters in food:—
(1) Preservatives should be prohibited in all articles
of food and drink offered or exposed for sale whether
manufactured in this country or imported, except
that:—
(A) Sulphur dioxide only should be permitted:—
(i) In sausages in amounts not exceeding 3
grains per pound,
(ii) in jam in amounts not exceeding 0.3 grains
per pound;
(iii) in dried fruit in amounts not exceeding
7 grains per pound;
(iv) in preserved (but not dried) whole fruit or
fruit pulp in amounts not exceeding 5
grains per pound;
(v) in beer and cider whether in bottle or in
cask in amounts not exceeding 5 grains
per gallon;
(vi) in alcoholic wines, non-alcoholic wines and
cordials and fruit juices, sweetened and
unsweetened, in amounts not exceeding 3
grains per pint;
(B) Benzoic acid only should be permitted:—
(i) In coffee extract in amounts not exceeding
3 grains per pound;