View report page

20
that it was no longer capable of effervescing. One sample of Tomato
Ketchup contained an excessive amount of preservative, and two samples
of Salad Cream, for which a legal standard is now in force, were found to
be deficient in oil; several prosecutions have been successfully undertaken
by other authorities in similar cases during 1949, and the matter has been
effectively dealt with by drawing the manufacturer's attention to the deficiency.
Consideration has also been given to the question of the proper composition
of cakes and pastries, in which increasing use is being made of
artificial fat extenders, emulsifying agents and the like, to replace egg,
butter and other valuable foodstuffs, with consequent loss of nutritional
value. In one sample of Meringue it was found that the whole of the
white of egg, formerly considered the most essential constituent, had been
replaced by a synthetic gum made from cellulose; the meringue was
reported against as being not of the nature, substance and quality demanded
by the purchaser. Since the whole question seems to be of
fundamental importance to the people's nutrition, the relevant reports
have, it is understood, been referred to the Ministry of Food for their
information and comments.
Attention was drawn in my Report for 1948 to the finding of mineral
oils in samples of cakes etc., and their use in food was condemned on
several grounds. Since then the Mineral Oil in Food Order, 1949, has
been passed, prohibiting their use in the composition or preparation of
food (except in such negligible proportions as might arise through contact
with greasy utensils), and it is satisfactory to be able to record that although
all samples of food in which they might occur were specially tested no
instance of the presence of mineral oil was detected during 1949.
During August a large consignment of pears from Italy was found, on
being sampled at Southwark when unloaded at the Elephant and Castle,
to be contaminated by arsenic. The arsenic was derived from the copper
arsenite in an insecticidal spray, and could be seen on the skins in the form
of powdery, greenish white residues, which owing to lack of rain during
the summer months had not been washed off, as usually happens, before
the pears were picked. The fruit, which was otherwise in good condition,
was cleaned by the consignees by wiping with wet and dry rags. Further
tests, which were carried out before the lot intended for sale in Deptford
was released, showed the arsenic on the pears to have been reduced to less
than 1 part per million, a safe proportion.
In addition to the analyses under the Food and Drugs Act, the results
of which have been included in the Quarterly Reports, and summarised
above, 132 samples were examined under other Acts, Orders and Regulations;
particulars of these are furnished below:—