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that the scale of this loaf was due to stale bread being sold from the shop, and brought an action
against the seller. Unfortunately a well known barrister appeared for the defence and managed to
cast doubt on the behaviour of the complainant. In your analyst's opinion had the Court listened
to the witness carefully there was little doubt chat the defence story did not hold together properly.
A table jelly, when made up according to the directions, would not set properly and was reported
as adulterated.
A sample of prunes contained 107 parts per million of sorbic acid, and of this two thirds was
found on the skins and only one third in the pulp, from which it appeared that the sorbic acid had
been added as a preservative to the prunes before drying. This contravenes the British Preservatives
in Food Regulations, but the practice is legal in the United States. Another sample of prunes was
badly infected with aspergillus mould and was unfit for sale.
The whole of the exterior of a Christmas pudding was covered in mould growth, due to excessive
water and was obviously inedible and some dates which were also very mouldy were contained in a
box, the bottom of which was very wet indicating that it must have been left open in the rain at a
shop or stall.
A Lemon Crush contained not more that 20 per cent of lemon juice , whereas according to the
Soft Drinks Order it should contain not less than 25 per cent of juice. It was suggested the matter
should be drawn to the manufacturer's attention, although he would doubtless claim that the deficiency
was due to the low mineral constituents of their particular lemon juice and not a deficiency
in juice.
Samples of salmon spread with butter, chicken spread with butter, potted beef with butter and
dressed crab with butter were exami nedand found to contain 7%, 7%, 6.2% and 6.44% of butter fat
respectively. The recognised quantity of butter fat in this type of product is 10 per cent, and the
samples were all reported as inferior.
Several cans of salmon and tuna were received due to a complaint in another borough and they
had caused sickness. The cans of salmon appeared to be satisfactory, but microbiological examination
of the tuna showed a slow growing gram-positive spore bearing rod bacterium.
A complaint was received regarding crystals found in a tin of salmon. These were crystals
of magnesium ammonium phosphate (Struvite), and are commonly found in canned salmon, canned
lobster, and similar products. For the crystals in this particular product to have become so large it
was probable that the salmon must have been canned for some considerable period.
Another complaint was also received that a meat extract contained beads, but these were really
beautiful crystals of salt, which hadformed with occlusions of meat extract in the centre of each
facet.
Some almonds possessed a peculiar flavour thought to be due to rancidity, but this was probably
due to the fact that they werebitter almonds which had been de bittered. The sample was reported
as inferior. It would be useful if legislation made it obligatory to label de-bittered almonds as such.
Some melon and lemon jam contai ned only 62.3 per cent of soluble solids as compared with the
minimum requirement of 65 per cent for hermetically sealed jams and was 4 per cent deficient in
soluble solids.
A black pudding contained an amount of blood, which calculated as 46 per cent of total meat
only and was reported as adulterated. Your analyst is of the opinion that a black pudding should
contain the equivalent of at least as much meat, and protein, calculated as meat, as pork sausages,
but as the black puddings are partially dried, the final meat content should appear much higher.