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58
REPORT OF THE COUNCIL ANALYST
(THOMAS McLACHLAN, D.C.M., A.C.G.F.C., F.R.I.C., M.I.Biol.)
During the year 1962, 800 samples of food and drugs were examined. Of these 169 wete
taken formally and 631 informally.

A milk bottle contained an aluminium cap, the aluminium surface of which had been slightly
attacked by the alkaline washing solution, showing that it must, therefore, have passed through
the washing machine. Another bottle contained a piece of bone. It was difficult to remove this
from the bottle and it possessed the fresh odour of cooked meat. Had the bone been in the bottle
when it went through the washing machine, it would have been attacked by alkali, which would
have removed most of the cooked meat odour and it was believed, therefore, that the bone had
been inserted subsequent to filling the bottle with milk. Another milk bottle was submitted
because of a complaint about a green streak on the interior of the glass. It was impossible to
remove the colour by ordinary chemical means, and there was no doubt that the streak was due
to a dmall nucleus of ferrous iron in the glass which had expanded during the blowing of the
bottle, and that it could cause no damage to the milk.
A beer bottle containing a peg was also submitted for examination. The peg appeared to
have been in the bottle when it passed through the washing machine and, as a result, the inner
portion of the wood had turned slightly grey. In view of this treatment the peg would not be
harmful, but it showed careless inspection in the bottle washing and filling department.
A milk shake powder stated to contain not less than 45 mg. of vitamin C, per ounce, contained
only 28 mg. per ounce. The manufacturers stated that 90 mg. per oz. was put in and they
thought the product must have been improperly stored. The stock was two years old, and was
withdrawn from sale.
An Austrian smoked cheese contained 44.8 per cent of total solids and 15.66 per cent of
fat, equivalent to 35 per cent on the dry basis, indicating that it was a partially defatted cheese
and should not have been sold without qualification. The importers contacted their Austrian
suppliers, who promised that all future shipments would comply with the regulations. A Cheddar
cheese contained only 41.1 per cent of fat on the dry matter, and was, therefore, 20 per cent
deficient in fat.
A roll and butter submitted for examination was found to be spread with margarine, whilst
other samples were spread with mixtures of margarine and butter. The analysis of the fat of yet a
fourth sample of roll and butter indicated that it had probably been spread with a mixture containing
from 25 to 30 per cent of margarine, but there was insufficient fat for confirmation.
Several fruit loaves contained insufficient fruit. In your analyst's opinion they must contain
not less than 10 per cent, whereas the fruit contents varied, and loaves examined containing 5.6,
7.5, 8.6, 8.6, 8.25, 9.6, 7.1, 7.3 and 8.6 were reported as inferior, and those containing only 3.7
and 4.3 were reported as adulterated. In one case the first loaves submitted contained 4.7 and
5.2 percent of fruit and were reported as inferior, but the follow up loaves contained only 3.6 and
5.8 per cent of fruit and were reported as adulterated.
The cream of a chocolate Swiss roll had decomposed. The fatty filling contained 1,400,000
bacteria per gram, but coliform bacteria was absent.