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may require. Within a suitable period after the
publication of this list the use of any other colouring
matter should be prohibited unless and until it shall
have been approved by the Minister.
6. Before the prohibition of preservatives or of
colouring matters in food (including the use of copper
salts for the so-called greening of vegetables) is enforced,
a period of grace should be allowed sufficient to enable
manufacturers and importers to adjust their methods
and processes and to allow stocks to be cleared.
7. Improved methods in the storage and transport
of food by rail, road and water, especially as regards
the use of refrigeration and cool air storage, are urgently
required.
8. It should be provided by law that any Regulations
or Statute prohibiting or limiting the use of
preservatives and colouring matters should bind the
courts in proceedings taken under the Sale of Food and
Drugs Acts in respect of their use.
9. An amendment of the law is required to render
more expeditious the prosecution of a person actually
responsible for offences under these Acts, where a
warranty defence is pleaded.
10. Further powers of control by registration, licensing
or inspection should be given to Local Authorities
in relation to all places concerned in the production,
sale, storage and distribution of food.
The above report is dated September, 1924, and it is
satisfactory that on 17th February, 1925, the Ministry
of Health issued draft regulations proposed to be made
by the Minister of Health dealing with this important
subject of preservatives and colouring matter in foodstuffs.
The draft regulations follow in the main the
recommendations of the Departmental Committee, and
if they become law as they stand they will be exceedingly
useful. Unfortunately, however, interested parties
in the trade are already making strenuous efforts to