View report page

49
Public Health (Preservatives, &c., in Food) Regulations, 1925 to 1927.
With few exceptions all samples taken under the Food and Drugs (Adulteration) Act
were examined for the presence of preservatives. Five samples of pepper were found to
contain respectively 107, 144, 225, 235 and 240 parts per million of sulphur dioxide. No
formal action against the vendors was deemed necessary.
Public Health (Condensed Milk) Regulations, 1923 and 1927.
During the year two samples of full cream unsweetened, three samples of full cream
sweetened, and seven samples of skimmed sweetened condensed milk were taken. All were
found to comply with the Regulations.
Public Health (Dried Milk) Regulations, 1923 and 1927.
One sample of dried milk was taken during 1932, which complied with the Regulations.
Chemical and Bacteriological Examination of Food.
Analyses for the purposes of the Food and Drugs (Adulteration) Act, 1928, and the
various Food Regulations were made by the Public Analyst, Sir William R. Smith, until
his death in March, 1932, and then by Mr. Alan Stewart who succeeded to the appointment.
The work is performed at the Royal Institute of Public Health, 23, Queen Square, W.C.I,
where also bacteriological examinations are made of food suspected of being deleterious, and
of samples of milk procured under the provisions of the Milk (Special Designations) Order,
1923.
During 1932 the following samples were submitted for special examination, viz.:—
Sausages, suspected to have caused food poisoning. Result—Cultures failed to
show the presence of any organisms of the food poisoning group.
Stout, suspected to contain harmful substances. Result—No injurious organisms
or poisonous metals detected.
Condensed milk, suspected to have caused enteritis. Result—Small numbers of a
gram positive coccus of staphylococcal type and of a gram negative bacillus of coliform
type were discovered, neither of which organisms are regarded, under ordinary conditions,
as being causative of gastro-enteritis.
Coffee with milk, presence of poisonous substances suspected. Result—No metallic
poison detected.
The results of other samples analysed or bacteriologically examined are recorded elsewhere
in this Report under the appropriate headings.
Summaries of the results of analyses made by the Public Analyst during the year are
given on pages 50 and 51.
The results of legal proceedings are summarised on page 54.
In connection with the analysis of milk samples, the Public Analyst furnishes the result
of his analysis and the following table is of interest. It may be noted that the Ministry of
Agriculture standards for presuming milk to be adulterated are 3 per cent, for fat and 8.5 per
cent, for non-fatty solids. These standards are generally considered to be rather unfair to
the consumer and the deduction to be made from the table is that the milk sold in
Paddington is, generally speaking, of average natural strength.