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135
The subject of metallic contamination continues to present difficulties.
This year lead in excess appeared in Anchovies, Curry Powder
and Fish Roe; tin continues to appear in varying quantities in certain
types of sugar and copper to an undesirable extent in Candied Peel.
It is observed that the Minister of Health in his Annual Report
published in 1937 suggests a maximum of 5 parts per million for lead
in Sardines and so presumably for lead in other like commodities.
It is satisfactory that in the new Food and Drugs Bill, a draft of
which has been published, it appears that the Minister of Health may
acquire power to prescribe limits for impurities as well as rules for
the composition of articles of food.
There is in my opinion an increasing need for the closer regulation
of manufactured products. Owing to the absence of such Regulation
the administration of the Food and Drugs Act varies from area to
area according to the opinion of the officers in that area, and there
is evidence that the composition of some commodities tends to progressive
deterioration as the result of competition, so it is that many
commodities as now sold, particularly in the less expensive shops, are
not as they used to be; yet it is difficult to draw the line aright
between legitimate trade processes and sophistication. Some of the
jams of today are very poor as compared with the better old-fashioned
jams. They may be fortified with acid, pectin and artificial dye, the
need for which is in part due to the use of sulphited pulp and the
necessity for producing a jam which will set well and stand carriage.
On the one hand it is desirable that wholesome jam should be available
to all at a low price; on the other a deficiency of fruit ought not to
be permitted to be made up by artificial pectin. This problem was
considered by the Society of Public Analysts and the Food Manufacturers'
Federation a few years ago and standards were promulgated
which met with general but not universal acceptance. It is to be
hoped that these and other standards will be adopted by the Ministry
of Health in due course, with perhaps some modification. Another
instance that occurs is Shredded Suet. The sale of Shredded Suet
has undoubted advantages to the housewife. Manufacturing difficulties
were overcome by the use of a small amount of rice flour, then
stress of competition caused the amount of rice flour to be increased
to an excessive degree in certain instances. This was also considered