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not less than 2½ per cent of milk fat and not less than 7 per cent
of milk solids other than fat. Parev (kosher) ice remains as
before. Whilst this regulation makes no provision regarding the
labelling of ice cream made with fat other than milk fat the
Labelling of Food (Amendment) Regulations, 1959, prohibits the
use of any illustration suggestive of butter, cream or milk or
anything connected with the dairy unless all the fat in the ice
cream is derived from milk, other than that present in egg or a
flavouring substance, though it is permissible to state that the
ice cream contains skimmed milk solids. Any ice cream made with
fat other than milk fat must be labelled to the effect that it
"contains non-milk fat". Since standards are no longer made under
the Emergency Regulations, in order to allow for the modification in
labelling of ice cream, the wording of the principal Order has been
changed slightly. The Ice Cream (Heat Treatment, etc.) Regulations
1959, now permit a sterilisation process other than pasteurisation to
be employed and, provided that the whole process is kept sterile,
the conditions affecting cooling have been relaxed. The Methylene
Blue Test is maintained for the bacteriological control of the
quality of ice cream.
Fluorine in Food.
The original Fluorine in Food Order, 1947, was brought into
operation on account of the difficulty of obtaining suitable qualities
of phosphates for baking powders. Now that conditions are normal the
Minister has decided to allow a maximum quantity of 3 parts per million
of fluorine in self-raising and similar flours, 15 parts per million in
phosphate-containing baking powders, and 30 parts per million of the
acidic phosphate content of any other food. This amendment will
require more care in analytical control, but it is to be welcomed.
Preservatives in Food.
Without doubt the most important report or statutory instrument
issued by the Ministry during the year was that on Preservatives in
Food. The report itself is controversial and it is better merely to
summarise the conclusions. Sulphur dioxide will remain the chief
preservative permitted and it is suggested that this may be used in
wines, beer, cider and perry, soft drinks, fruit juices, vinegar,
dried fruit, fruit and fruit pulp, crystallised, glace, candied and
syruped fruit, raw peeled potatoes or dehydrated potatoes, other
dehydrated vegetables, sausages and butchers' minced meat, prepared
starches and sugar syrups derived therefrom as well as other sugar,
jams, gelatine and pectin, pickles and sauces and dry root ginger.
Benzoic acid could be used as an alternative or with sulphur dioxide
in soft drinks and fruit juice products. Either benzoic acid or a
para-hydroxybenzoic acid ester could be used in unfermented grape
juice used for sacramental purposes, liquid rennet, liquid coffee
extract, flavouring syrups, and drinking chocolate concentrates.
It is further suggested that propionic acid, sorbic acid, nisin,
diphenyl, or ortho-phenylphenol should be used in very special
circumstances.