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lower than those which are usually afforded by genuine milk, in
which the proportion of milk-fat and non-fatty solids very frequently
exceeds the percentages specified above. It is therefore
important that Local Authorities should keep steadily in view the
possibility of the artificial reduction of the quality of natural milk
to the official limits by the abstraction of cream, or the addition
of separated milk, or of water, and arrangements should be made
for the taking of samples and the submission of the same for
analysis whenever the existence of malpractices of the kind is
suspected. In this connection, it may be observed that the
evidence given before the Milk Regulations Committee [Cd. 491],
tended to show that the practice of fraudulently mixing separated
milk with new milk has become increasingly prevalent, particularly
in some of the larger towns.
Although the quality of genuine milk offered for sale will usually
be well above the official limits of milk-fat and non-fatty solids,
there may occasionally, and especially in certain seasons of the
year, be cases in which a sample of genuine milk may fall below
those limits. To meet cases of this kind it is suggested that in
the absence of any special circumstances indicating that the case
is a fraudulent one, the Local Authority might, in the first instance,
call the vendor's attention to the analyst's report, and ask him
whether he desires) to offer any explanation, and if the explanation
is one they are able to accept, they might, in the exercise of their
discretion, refrain from the institution of proceedings or withdraw
any summons which, in order to prevent the failure of proceedings,
by reason of the time limit imposed by the Act, it may
have been necessary to take out. But it may be desirable that
further samples of milk should be taken in such cases, in order
that a satisfactory conclusion as to the character of the milk
supplied may be arrived at.