View report page

25
to exclude infected cattle from all herds all milk should be
pasteurised or dried before distribution. Both these processes
eliminate all infection and do not destroy the sential
principles of milk.
During the year, it was found necessary to serve a notice
upon a milk vendor, at whose premises a case of infectious
disease had occurred, requiring the suspension of the sale of
milk until the premises had been disinfected.
PRESERVATIVES AND COLOURING MATTERS
IN FOOD.
The Final Report of the Departmental Committee on the
use of Preservatives and Colouring Matters in Food was
issued during the year. The following is a
SUMMARY OF THE CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
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 grain 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 should only be permitted
(i) in coffee extract in amounts not exceeding 3 grains per
pound;
(ii) in non-alcoholic wines and cordials, and sweetened and
unsweetened fruit juices (as an alternative to sulphur
dioxide) in amounts not exceeding 5 grains per pint;
(in) in sweetened mineral waters and in brewed ginger beer
in amounts not exceeding 1 grain per pint.
The method of estimating the foregoing preservatives should be prescribed
by the Minister of Health.
2. The sale of any preparation as a food preservative or for use in
such circumstances that it may be introduced into food should be declared
illegal unless such preparation
(a) bears a description clearly indicating its composition and
strength;
(b) is free from impurities and in particular contains not more than
l/100th part of 1 grain of arsenic per pound or more than
1/7th part of 1 grain of lead per pound.