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44
Tin and Tin Compounds in Tinned Foods.
It will be seen from the list of adulterated samples that a considerable
number of samples of Tinned Sardines and Silds were
found to contain tin and tin compounds, and on this subject the
following very instructive report was received from Mr. Adrian
Lickorish, the Public Analyst:—
" The presence of tin in canned goods must always be taken
into consideration in the case of every article of food preserved
in this way. Meat, fish, vegetables, and fruit are all liable
to contamination. If, however, the canning processes are carried
out with the proper knowledge and skill, modern research has
shown that the proportion of tin in the freshly canned product
need be very small and sometimes so small as to be practically
negligible.
Presuming that the canning has been properly carried out
and that the article has left the cannery containing the minimum
quantity of tin, this quantity may be gradually increased
as time goes on, the increase varying somewhat according to the
nature of the article and the way in which it has been stored,
and after some years may become very excessive. If, for instance,
the goods are kept at a low temperature, the rate of tin increase
may be small.
At the present time there is a considerable amount of work
being done at the Ports in inspecting and examining canned
goods on entry into the County, but this cannot, of course,
deal with the question of age, and there is no guarantee what age
the sample may reach before it is consumed.
A report was submitted to the Local Government Board in
1908 by Dr. Buchanan, one of their expert advisers, in which
it was pointed out that an advantage would be gained from an
administrative point of view if there was some mark by which
the firm by whom canned goods are prepared could determine
the date and place of preparation, and, in my opinion, there
would be many advantages in such a course. It would be a
great help to the authorities in their necessary investigations ;
in addition to the routine sampling, which is always being carried
on, particular attention could be paid to the older canned goods.
The retailer would know whether he were buying old or new
goods. It seems doubtful whether he can always be aware of
this now, since these may be kept in a warehouse possibly for