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REPORT OF THE COUNCIL'S PUBLIC ANALYST
Thomas McLachlan, A.C.G.F.C.. F.R.I.C.
During the year 1953, 800 samples of foods and drugs were examined.
Of these 20 were taken informally, and 780 formally. This included
several samples submitted as a result of complaints, and one submitted
privately.

In general the food situation throughout the country is now improving
rapidly and, whilst the public need the protection of the Food
and Drugs Acts as much as ever to protect them from skilful sophistication,
there is little doubt that many inferior products will disappear
or be forced to improve in order to meet the natural competition of
other foods. With the reappearance of proprietary products, however,
the shelf life of foods in shops will tend to be prolonged and greater
care will have to be devoted to the keeping properties of food on
storage.
Of the 200 samples of milk received only 3 were reported as adulterated
. One sample contained 3.4 per cent and another 2.7 per cent of
added water, The third sample was 6 per cent deficient in milk solids
not fat,
Some National Dried Milk povrier was submitted due to a complaint
that it would not mix properly with water. This complaint was found to
be justified, The hydrogen ion concentration or degree of acidity was
5.6 but the sample could not be condemned as sour, since it would be
suitable for milk puddings. Your analyst considered that the milk was
slightly rancid before evaporation and had left the casein insoluble in
water.
Some sweetened condensed milk possessed an odour and taste of
butyric acid. It contained .02 per cent of volatile acid, determined as
butyric acid and was reported as inferior.
A sample of butter reported as adulterated possessed a cheesy
odour and slight cheesy flavour; the free fatty acid content was 1.64
per cent and it gave a slight positive test for rancidity. Under