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A pancake and a frying pan were submitted as a complaint and examination showed that
the pancake contained small pieces of metal from overheating the frying pan. The small quantity
of metal in the pancake would, however, have been too small to cause any damage.
Water used for washing utensils in an ice-cream van, but suspected of containing urine,
contained sugar and slight flavouring, and had no doubt been used for rinsing ice cream dippers.
It showed a count of 83 million blood heat bacteria and 20 million low temperature bacteria per
ml., which indicated that insufficient care was exercised in changing this water.
A piece of metal found in a welfare meal consisted of spiralled tinplate, but without
further information it was difficult to express an opinion how it got into the food.
Two pieces of glass stated to have been found in an apple pie were thought to be from
an electric light bulb, and the suggestion that they had been in a tin of apple was probably
correct.
Two samples of diet chocolate were labelled as containing "Hexahydric alcohol" whereas
the term "Sorbitol" should have been employed. There are many hexahydric alcohols. A healing
oil was recommended for the cure of Anthrax, Mumps, Whooping Cough, Bloody Dysentery and
other complaints. It is dangerous to make claims of this type. There were also several minor
offences on the label. A beef, iron, and wine tonic contained only 1 per cent of iron and ammonium
citrate and 0.26 per cent of beef extract, which was considered too small a quantity to warrant
the description. Two small beetles were found in a bottle of a linctus due to the improper storage
of the bottles before filling. See Table 11, Pages 112 — 114.
New Legal Matters
The Butter Regulations, 1966, come into operation in September, 1967. They supersede
the Butter and Margarine Regulations, 1955, in so far as these apply to butter. They specify
requirements regulating the amount of milk fat, curd, salt, and moisture, in salted and unsalted
butter, and specify requirements for the labelling and advertisement of butter. The Regulations do
not, however, apply to butter sold for export, or to caterers or manufacturers.
The Cheese (Amendment) Regulations, 1966, come into force on the 1st February, 1967.
They redefine "Compound products" containing 10 per cent or more cheese, and require processed
cheese to be described by its varietal name to comply with the compositional standards prescribed
for the variety, or with the principal Regulations, and add to the varieties of cheese subject to
the fat and moisture control.
The Antioxidant in Food Regulations, 1966, came into operation on 9th December, 1966.
These Regulations ban the use of antioxidants in infant foods. They permit the use of a new
antioxidant for use on apples and pears and lay down specifications of purity for all antioxidants.
The Salad Cream Regulations, 1966, came into force in September, 1966. They include
mayonnaise as salad cream and regulate the amount of vegetable oil and egg yolk solids contained
in such creams. Requirements are also prescribed for the labelling and advertisement of
salad cream, but the Regulations do not apply to salad cream for export or catering.
The Mineral Hydrocarbons in Food Regulations, 1966, came into force on the 27th
August, 1966. The chief amendment to these Regulations lies in the compositional control of the
purity of hydrocarbons used for food purposes. These Regulations can be enforced for foods
manufactured in this country, but offer little control for imported products.
The revised Colouring Matter in Food Regulations, 1966, will come into operation on the
26th June, 1967. They revise the list of colouring matters which may be added to food sold for
human consumption, and prohibit or limit the use of such colouring matters in certain named foods,
especially fresh meat, fruit or vegetables. They also regulate the amount of arsenic, lead, and
and copper contained not only in permitted colouring matters but also in colouring compounds.
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