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90
Meat and Fish Preparations.
Only two of the total of 59 meat and fish preparations
were reported adulterated; these were two sausages in which
96 and 230 parts respectively of sulphur dioxide per million
were found, no notice of the presence of preservative having
been given at the time of purchase.
Two samples of fish were classed as inferior on account
of the presence of metals. In one of them (tinned sardines)
there was five parts of lead per million and in the other
(tinned sild) there was four-fifths of a grain of tin pier
pound. In a specimen of tinned fish roes just over half a
grain of tin was discovered, but this amount was not deemed
to be sufficient to warrant calling it inferior.
Vegetables, Fruit, Conserves, &c.
All the samples falling under this heading were genuine.
Those sold in tins were commendably free from metallic
contamination, only one canned tomatoes being found to
contain tin; here the amount was one grain per pound.
A sample sold as tomato paste was a proprietary brand
of nut food flavoured with tomato. One jam consisted of
a mixture not commonly met with—melon and pineapple—
and was sold canned.
Vegetable Soups.
Of six specimens of tomato soup two were certified to be
adulterated. These contained copper to the extent of 50
and 14 parts per million respectively. A label on one of
the packets indicated, under a guarantee of £1,000, that
the tablet of soup contained over one pound of tomatoes
and no colouring matter or preservative. The makers are
probably not aware that copper is listed as one of the prohibited
metallic colouring matters. An attempt to determine
the amount of material derived from tomato was
made; on the portion left after determining the copper
present only sufficient work could be done to indicate that
the statement on the label was probably not incorrect.