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84
MILK.
Of 92 samples of milk examined, 90 were reported as Genuine and 2
as Adulterated, in accordance with the Sale of Milk Regulations, 1901,
and the Milk and Dairies Act, 1922. The application of the terms
"Good," "Fair" and "Poor" are applied to milk in the Borough of
Chelsea according to the following percentages of fat :—
Good Quality Over 3.8 per cent. of fat.
Fair Quality Between 3.35 and 3.8 per cent.
Poor Quality Between 3.0 and 3.35 per cent.
Of the samples examined during the year 33 were reported as of
"Good" quality, 45 as "Fair," and 12 as "Poor." One sample contained
3.53 per cent. of added water and another contained 3.7 per cent.
of added water. In each case the addition of water was confirmed by
the freezing point test. It is quite possible, but not probable, that a
milk may contain less than 8.5 per cent. of solids other than fat, but it
has been found that the freezing point remains constant in spite of such
a variation in composition, if it is genuine milk. When water is added
to a milk, the freezing point is higher than is the case with genuine milk,
the increase depending on the amount of added water.
MALTED MILK.
There are at present a large number of foods on the market, which
consist essentially of whole or modified milk powder with dried malt
extract, with or without added flavouring materials. These may be
known under fancy names or simply as malted milk. The sample
examined was quite good in itself, but it had been packed carelessly
and some of the product, which adhered to the screw of the neck of the
bottle had absorbed water and become very mouldy. It was accordingly
returned as Inferior.
GROUND ALMONDS.
Owing to the Spanish Civil War there was a considerable amount of
substitution for genuine almonds last year, but whether this shortage
has largely disappeared, or more probably because the adulteration was
detected so readily, there appears to have been little attempt at adulteration
this year.
BUTTER AND MARGARINE.
Whereas good butter and margarine seldom contain more than 14
per cent., and it is illegal to sell those containing more than 16 per cent.
of water, it has been noticed that there has been a tendency for the
water content to vary from 15.0 to 15.6 per cent- in the case of butter
and from 14.0 to 15.0 per cent- in the case of margarine. This may be
one of the methods of creating an impression that the price of foodstuffs
is not rising unduly.