London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Hampstead 1946
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hampstead Borough]
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19
Food Adulteration.
500 samples were taken during the year by the Sampling Officers under
the Food and Drugs Act, 1938. The number certified to be adulterated
was 20, or 4 per cent, of the total number as compared with 28, or 5 6
per cent, in 1945.
The attention of the Ministry of Food was drawn to certain infringements
of Food Orders and warnings were given to retailers, wholesalers
and manufacturers in what may be termed the more venial offences.
Legal Proceedings.
Prosecutions were instituted in the following cases; —
1. Pork Sausages, containing excessive Dismissed under Probation of Offenders'
preservative without the statu- Act. Costs, £5 5s. 0d.
tory declaration
2. Butter (mixed with margarine) Fine, £10. Costs, £10.
3. Gin, containing 11-7 per cent. Dismissed. Appeal pending to Divisional
added water. Court.
2116 p.h. 200 6/47 (5572) printed by Harrison and sons, ltd , st. martin's lane, London
Particulars of adulterated samples are as follows: —
| Article of Food. | How Adulterated. | |
|---|---|---|
| No. 28. | Selecto Jelly Dessert . . | Contains 2 • 5 parts per million arsenic (recognised limit. 1 -40 parts per million). |
| .. 31. | Pork Sausages | Contain sulphur dioxide, 220 parts per million. No declaration of preservative in shop or on wrapper. |
| „ 35. | Butter (informal) | Admixed with 30 per cent, margarine. |
| „ 54. | Butter (formal) | Admixed with 30 per cent. Margarine. Sample combines almost every possible offence ; there is excess water ; there is prohibited preservative, it is not. butter, but a mixture and being by definition margarine, contains an excess of butter fat. |
| „ 98. | Chocolate Pudding Mix | A mixture of wheat and rye flour and only a negligible amount of cocoa. |
| „ 106. | Egg Substitute | Deficient in strength. |
| „ 113. | Lemonade | Contravenes Soft Drinks Order. Contains 0-49 per cent. Citric Acid with 0-04 per cent, saccharin, but there is no sugar. |
| „ 121. | Ground Coffee | Mixture of Coffee and Chicory. |
| „ 184. | Vinegar | Not a vinegar at all, but a solution of Acetic Acid. 64-8 per cent, strength. |
| 209. | Ice Cream | Water Ice. Contains no fat. |
| 213. | Parsley | Contains 20 per cent, grit, mostly sand. |
| „ 215. | Ginger Wine Concen-trate (Informal) | Does not comply with Food Labelling Order. |
| 253. | Ice Cream | Fat negligible. |
| ,, 282. | Baking Powder | Slightly deficient in aerating power. |
| „ 284. | Curry Powder | Contains an excessive proportion of bean meat, 25 per cent. |
| „ 89. | Curry Powder | Contains an excessive proportion of bean meat. 25 per cent. |
| „ 312. | Baking Powder | Deficient in strength. |
| ,, 362. | Lard | Not Lard, but sesame oil. |
| „ 392. | Concentrated Artificial Vinegar | Contains excessive Acetic Acid, 69 per cent. |
| „ 490. | Gin | Contains 11-7 per cent, added water. |