View report page

107
free from corruption for a considerable length of time, often many years,
whereas a pork sausage is usually bought for immediate consumption
or within such time as fresh pork will remain naturally sound.
"If it is desirable in the public interest, as contended by the
defendant, that boric acid should be freely used, it is satisfactory that
Section 6 need be no obstacle to the practice, for those who sell sausages
treated with boric acid have only to disclose the fact to the customer
and they will be exempt from prosecution under that section. There
must be a fine of 40s. and £5 5s. costs."
Chocolate.—Two cases have been heard by Mr. Mead, at Marlborough
Street Police Court, in which the question arose as to the composition
of chocolate. Samples of a cheap sweetmeat sold retail at the rate of
a halfpenny an ounce were purchased by one of the Council's Inspectors.
One was called "milk chocolate," the other "broken chocolate." On
analysis, it was found that the former did not contain more than 2½ per
cent. of cocoa, the latter about 2¼ per cent.; whereas, genuine chocolate
should contain 30 to 50 per cent. of cocoa (30 to 40 per cent. being the
usual amount in chocolate for eating). The proportion of milk in the
one sample was also very little. The other ingredients were similar in
the two samples, viz.: sugar, cocoa-nut oil (not cocoa butter from the
nib or bean), some starch, and about 8 per cent. of a powder made from
the husks or shells of the cocoa nib.
Evidence in support of the prosecution was given by Messrs. Ellis
Richards and C. H. Cribb, two of the public analysts for the City,
Mr. Alfred Bramen, agent for Messrs. Suchard, Ltd., Mr. Norman Boon,
chemist and professional adviser to Messrs. Cadbury Bros., Ltd., and
Mr. Ernest Bernhard, assistant manager Nestle's Anglo-Swiss Milk
Company. These stated that chocolate should be made from sound
cocoa beans free from shell or husk, with cane or beet sugar, with
or without a slight flavouring of vanilla. In an analysis of over
30 different milk chocolates, only one came out with so little as 9 per
cent. of milk solids; the highest was 24 per cent.
The makers of the "milk chocolate" admitted that, to 2 cwts. of
"mixture," there was added 20 lbs. of shell powder, 5 lbs. of nib cocoa,
and 5 lbs. of dried separated milk, and contended that, if whole-cream
milk powder were used, the "chocolate" would become rancid.
The Magistrate said he must take a common-sense view of what
milk chocolate should be; there must be a substantial quantity of
cocoa in proportion to other ingredients. The sample sold to the
Inspector was a fictitious article, and it was unjustifiable to call it milk
chocolate. If there was a demand for such a sweetmeat it could be
sold under some other name. He fined the defendant in this case £5
and £10 10s. costs.