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108
The test accordingly gives promise of being of great
value in so far as a positive result indicates that the
milk has not been properly pasteurised, and its application will no doubt enable Local Authorities to deal with
cases in which it is suspected that raw milk is being sold
as ' Pasteurised ' and may also facilitate the detection of
defects in the pasteurising apparatus or in its working."
Of the 20 samples submitted to the phosphatase test
during the year under review (or, rather, a part of the
year), 17 were reported as satisfactory, though of these 2
reached the limiting value in the test; in one indications
were obtained of a slight error in the technique of pasteurisation, one was improperly pasteurised, and one was raw
milk or milk that had been grossly underheated. These
results can only be regarded as indicative of need for
improvement in the supply.
Under the Milk (Special Designations) Orders, if the
Council are not satisfied that a vendor is selling properly
pasteurised milk they may exercise their discretion in
refusing to issue him a licence to sell such milk, or may
revoke a licence already issued. Apart from any considerations regarding the relative merits of raw and pasteurised
milk, it should be obvious that a purchaser requiring and
paying for pasteurised milk is prejudiced if he is served with
raw or inadequately heated milk; in a sense, therefore, a
new form of adulteration has arisen—the mixing of raw
milk with pasteurised milk, or, what amounts in effect to
the same thing, inadequate heating.
Condensed Milk.
All the 24 condensed milks analysed during the year
satisfied the requirements of the Condensed Milk Regulations
in regard to both composition and volume of milk
yielded on dilution—the " equivalent pints " value. Six
of these were sold as full-cream and 18 as machineskimmed.