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86
FLAVOURING ESSENCES.
All the four samples of flavouring essences had been prepared with
isopropyl alcohol. In the quantities in which these essences are used
this alcohol is not harmful; but it is regrettable that in order to avoid
the payment of Excise duties, manufacturers should be able to employ
as a solvent something of which very little is known about its pharmacological
action.
PRESERVATIVE REGULATIONS.
All the samples of milk, cream, sausages, dried fruits, jam and jelly
were examined for preservatives. The use of preservatives in milk and
cream is prohibited, and they were not detected in any sample. A small
amount of preservative may be added to sausages if notification is given
by the exhibition of a notice in the shop or by a label placed on the
sausages. One sample was found to contain 90 parts of sulphur dioxide
per million parts of sausage without such notification having been given.
Dried fruits, jams and jellies are allowed to contain small quantities of
preservatives without any declaration; but the amount which is permitted
was never found to be exceeded in any of the samples examined.
SPLIT PEAS.
A sample of split peas was returned as adulterated, because over
10% of the peas had been attacked very badly by maggots and the
remainder were shrivelled. Examples such as this show the necessity
for keeping a watch at mills where products of this type are ground,
because inferior products, which cannot be sold otherwise, are commonly
used for grinding.
TINNED FOODS.
In no case was any excessive amount of tin found in any of the samples
of canned foods submitted.
WHISKY.
Five samples of whisky were all returned as inferior. The Food &
Drugs (Adulteration) Act states that all spirits should be not less than
35% under proof; whereas all these samples were about 35.7% under
proof. They were not reported as adulterated because it is customary
to allow a slight margin of error in dilution ; but there is a tendency
on the part of vendors to make the error on the wrong side in order to
obtain the maximum profit.
DRUGS.
Several samples of drugs were obtained from chain store shops. It
is not the province of the Public Analyst to attend to the enforcement
of the Medicine Stamp Act, but it is remarkable to note the number of
medicines which are sold in this type of shop without any disclosure of
the composition of the medicine. Various mixtures may be sold as
Kidney Pills or Bile Ovals. The kidney pills appeared to contain
powdered buchu, liquorice and aloes; whilst the bile ovals appeared to