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"(2) An exception might, however, be made in respect of the use of
hydrogen peroxide, the addition of which to cream might be permitted
provided that only traces were allowed to remain in the cream.
"(3) It appears desirable that the question of issuing regulations on
this matter should receive the Board's consideration, and that account
should be taken of the following points :—
"(a) The declaration of the presence of preservative to the purchaser,
whether wholesale or retail, should in all cases he adequate,
and the preserved cream as an article of commerce should be
differentiated from cream which contains no added preservative.
"(b) In the case of boracised cream the maximum amount of
boron preservative, calculated as boric acid (H3B03), should be 0.4
per cent. from May to October inclusive, and 0.25 per cent. during
the remainder of the year.
"(c) Cream in which boron preservatives are permitted subject
to the above limits should in all cases contain at least 40 per cent.
of milk fat.
"(4) Having regard to the use of sweetening agents such as saccharin
to conceal sourness of cream and to impart an unnatural sweetness, it
appea.rs desirable that their presence should be notified to the purchaser."
In view of the evidence given in the appeal case of McNair v.
Cullen, and of the analyses of samples of cream which have been
made, there does not appear to be any need to allow boric acid to
the amount of 0.4 per cent. from May to October. The instances in
which 0.25 per cent. has been exceeded have been few in number. The
utmost demand of the trade, as stated in the witness box, was for 0.5
per cent, of "preservative," which worked out at about 22 grains of
boric acid (0.3 per cent.)
Butter.—A considerable amount of margarine is sold as butter. In
a number of shops a strange customer is promptly recognised and will
be supplied with the genuine article, but once the customer becomes a
regular one margarine is substituted. In order to detect this unofficial
or test samples have been purchased by agents preparatory to an official
sample being taken. (Eighty-six samples of butter and five of margarine
were so obtained.)
As an example of the way this works, the following extract from the
records may be given:—