View report page

57
The manufacturers of a health drink, which appeared on the market with a considerable
flourish of publicity, endeavoured to create the impression that it possessed
medicinal properties, whilst evading the restrictions of the Pharmacy and Medicines
Act, 1941. As a result of pressure from this and other local authorities they agreed
to modify their label and the claims they were making.
A tonic wine was satisfactory but there was a minor error in the description of
active ingredients on the label.
The label of a liquid cocoa preparation indicated that it was a chocolate
preparation, and your analyst also questioned the use of the word "chocolate" in
advertisements for this product. Some glace cherries were stated to contain "glucose",
but the glucose should have been declared as liquid glucose or by some other term.
Several samples of dried fruit were considered unsatisfactory. Pour samples of
currants, a sample of figs, and another of sultanas contained maggots, and a further
sample of currants contained an appreciable quantity of sugar crystals, with dust and
loose vegetable matter.
A sample of vegetable juices was stated to contain "Natural Seasonings", but in
order to comply with the Labelling of Food Order these must be specified as herbs,
spices and/or flavourings.
Although the contents of a tin of corned beef was sterile and the meat tasted
more or less satisfactory it gave the impression that the meat was stale before
canning and was reported as inferior.
Your analyst heard a rumour to the effect that luncheon meats from a particular
country contain dried milk powder, which is not declared as an ingredient. It is not
illegal to add dried milk powder to a luncheon meat, but if it is present its presence
must be declared among the other ingredients. A few years ago it became common on
the continent to add emulsifying salts to luncheon meats and not to declare their
presence, because it was thought that British Public Analysts would be unable to detect
their presence. This proved to be incorrect and the presence of emulsifying salts is
now generally declared when they are used, but many manufacturers believe that they can
make a better product without their use. That manufacturers, and particularly
Continental manufacturers, should adopt this attitude of trying to beat official
analysts is surprising, but it appears to be human nature to try to go one better than
the other man. Your analyst believes that he has found out what is now being added
to luncheon meats and hopes in due course to be able to stop this practice. Importers
would be annoyed if they were prosecuted, but it is doubtful whether anyone outside a
public analyst' s laboratory is aware of the financial cost of detecting these
adulterations. A special report on these additives and another on Soup Powder Mixes
were submitted to the Medical Officer of Health.
A coffee spread possessed very little coffee flavour, and had a distinctly rancid
taste. The fat contained 5.9 per cent of free fatty acids, showing that it was
rancid. The spread contained 0.058 per cent of caffeine and the Food Standards
(Liquid Coffee Essences) Order requires Liquid Coffee Essence to contain not less than
0.5 per cent of caffeine so that a product containing only one tenth of the strength
of coffee essence could hardly be entitled to be given the description "Coffee Spread".
A sample labelled as "100 per cent pure coffee" was in fact a dried coffee
extract, and it was suggested that it should be labelled "Coffee" "100 per cent pure".
A sample of "Brandy Butter" possessed an unpleasant flavour and a sickly taste
and was reported as inferior. It is generally unnecessary to take action against
products such as this one, as they will die a natural death.