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60
The fruit in some bun loaves from the same delivery was very badly distributed, one loaf
containing 21.9 per cent of fruit whilst another contained only 9.6 per cent, so they were reported
as inferior on account of faulty manufacture. A loaf of bread contained foreign matter consisting of
some general dirt which had fallen into the dough during mixing or from a dirty baking tin, due to
carelessness in the bakery.
Some beef sausages contained black matter consisting of mineral oil introduced from the
swivel of lids which were used to cover the sausage filling machines.
A liver sausage was also deficient in meat, containing only 44 per cent.
A large number of black puddings were examined during the year, and several were considered
to be deficient in meat content. Five were reported as adulterated, two containing 55% and, the
others 44 per cent, 51 per cent and 57 per cent respectively. Another containing 67 per cent was
reported as inferior. Your analyst is of the opinion that a black pudding should contain at least as
much meat, and protein calculated as meat, as pork sausage, but as these are partially dried, the
final meat content should appear much higher.
A sample of haslet contained only 61 per cent of meat of which 36 per cent was fat. A haslet
must contain approximately 70 per cent of lean meat and this sample was reported as inferior.
The tinplate of a can of corned beef was badly attacked and the meat was stained. The meat
itself contained 91 parts per million of tin and was reported as adulterated.
A canned minced beef with onions and gravy was reported as inferior because it contained
only 45 per cent of total meat. The Food Standards Committee in their Report on Canned Meat
Products do not state what is meant by an appreciable quantity of vegetables' but onions act only
as a flavour and do not make a calorific contribution to a food.
Several samples of tomato paste showed high Howard mould counts, these being one at 100
per cent, one at 95 per cent, two at 90 per cent, three at 80 per cent and one at 70 per cent. The
Port of London Medical Officer of Health accepted a 50 per cent Howard mould count for the 1962
crop. Another sample had a poor flavour and was very acid, and another was dark coloured and
possessed a caramelised taste. A further sample was satisfactory as regards mould count, colour
and flavour but it contained 63 parts per millon of copper which was rather high, although the
maximum permitted is 100 p.p.m.
The brine in which some olives were packed contained budding yeast cells and the product
would not, therefore, have kept very long although it may have been edible when received.
Some pasteurised figs were packed in a carton with a cellophane cover which was broken so
that bacteria and other micro-organisms had entered. Figs, if properly prepared, should not require
pasteurisation. Some currants contained considerable quantities of extraneous dirt, and were reported
as inferior.
Some boiled mashed potatoes were received on account of their odour and this was found to
be due to rancid butter. One of the dangers with meals on wheels is that food is often kept at an
incubation temperature. More care should be exercised to keep the food either really hot or to
cool it rapidly after cooking and then to re-heat as required.
A sample of mint concentrate contained hazel leaf, although probably less than 5 per cent
of the total leaf matter. The manufacturers stated that this was old stock and that their present
stock of mint had been obtained from a different source.
An American product 'Corn Puffs' contravened the Colouring Matter in Food Regulations,
1962, because they contained a red colour permitted in America but not in this country.