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was the second to be issued in the series.
Proposals have teen issued by the Food Standards Committee for Soft
Drinks Regulations. Your analyst is greatly concerned that at the present
time manufacturers of soft drinks can add vitamins or other ingredients to
make them resemble official nutritional products and describe them by the
official titles so long as letters such as B.P., or B.P.c. are not used.
Blackcurrant syrups fall into this category, but so far, the Ministry has
refused to take any action, though now that even broadcasting has drawn
attention to the matter the situation may be changed. Similarly certain
drinks need not comply with the requirements of the Regulations for sugar
content if there is a clear and conspicuous description in writing indicating
to the purchaser that the drink has been prepared, for consumption by
persons suffering from diabetes. Products have been creeping on to the
market recently which claim the protection of this proviso, but which are
intended for slimming purposes and are not expected to be used primarily
by diabetics. Even the names of the products suggest that they are intended
for slimming. Another provision which your analyst would like to see
introduced is one to prevent claims such as "made from such and such fruit"
for a product, which complies with the requirement of the order to the
extent that it contains 2 pounds of potable fruit and 4.5 pounds of sugar
in 10 gallons, i.e. 100 lbs. of final drink, over 93 per cent of the drink
being therefore added water.
Following the issue towards the end of 1960 of the "Food Standards
Committee Report on Bread and Flour", proposals for regulations were
issued during 1961. Probably the most interesting point in these proposed
regulations at the present time, in view of the interest taken in slimming,
is that it shall be an offence to make any sort of claim, whether by
inference or otherwise, that a bread, rusk, biscuit, or cereal food may be
used as a slimming aid unless there is a clear statement indicating that
it may only be so used if it forms part of a diet in which the total intake
of calories is controlled.
The Food Standards Committee were also asked to review the use of
solvents and flavouring agents used in foods. Apart from water the number
of solvents employed is confined to a small number of chemical liquids, but
the number of chemicals employed for flavouring is very large. Proposals
were also made for regulations to control the use of Emulsifiers and
Stabilisers in Food. One of the difficulties of British law is that if the
use of a substance is generally recognised as suitable and safe for a particular
purpose it ceases to be such a substance by legal definition, and these proposed
regulations are no exception to this rule. Thus under the Labelling of Food
Order sodium citrate, sodium tartrate, and sodium phosphates may be described
generically as "Emulsifying Salts", but under the proposed regulations they
are not to be considered as Emulsifiers" or "stabilisers". It is hardly
surprising that exporters from other countries complain that it is difficult
to understand British law.
I am, Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
THOMAS McLACHLAN, A.C.G.F.C.,F.R.I.C.,M.I.Bi01,
Public Analyst.