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44
It will be observed that the most highly priced cheeses showed the lowest
fat values; three of seven samples contained less than 30 per cent. fat, the
standard adopted in some British Colonies. In Canada, however, the standard
is 45 per cent. milk fat calculated in the moisture free content and it is generally
considered that Cheshire cheese and cheese of similar character should contain at
least this quantity of fat calculated on this basis. In New Zealand the regulations
state that ''Cheese is to contain in the water-free substance not less than 50 parts
per centum of fat wholly derived from milk and it shall not contain any
foreign fat."
Sophistication of Wine.
In view of the use of sulphurous acid for the preservation of white wines containing
sugar, when the Public Health (Preservatives, etc., in Food) Regulations,
1925, come into force the use of preservative in alcoholic wines will be limited to
sulphur dioxide not exceeding 450 parts per million. Bottles of such wine should
be examined to see that the legal limit is not exceeded.
Mussels.
Seeing the important part played by shell fish in the spread of disease,
notably enteric fever, it was thought useful to examine a sample of mussels
bacteriologically. The advance of present day knowledge suggests that routine
bacteriological as well as chemical examination should be made of food if we are
to prevent disease.
An attempt to purchase English mussels having failed we bought some
South Dutch mussels which we were assured by several traders had a much better
name than English mussels. Detailed and thorough bacteriological examinations
of each of ten mussels were made, the result of which put very briefly showed
that nine out of the ten mussels examined were unclean; they contained B. Coli;
the mussels of which the sample formed part were not fit for human consumption.
The Fishmongers' Company were promptly informed; they had other consignments
examined bacteriologically and the result of our bacteriological examinations
were confirmed.
In a telephone message, the Secretary of the Fishmongers' Company, thanked
the Public Health Committee for undertaking the examinations and said that they
had resulted in a thorough reinvestigation of the situation not only as regards
South Dutch mussels, but also as regards North Dutch mussels; the beds of both
localities were to be the subject of a searching enquiry.
Subsequently a communication was received from the Fishmongers' Company
giving the results of the enquiry and investigations into the deterioration in the
quality of the mussels. Samples direct from the beds concerned were examined
with satisfactory results by Dr. Folpmers, Fisheries Laboratory, Bergen up Zoom.
Dr. Folpmers pointed out that topographically contamination by sewage was
excluded. The Fishmongers' Company agreed with this contention as the sewage