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preserved cream was not suitable for invalids and infants, as required
by the Regulations.
Butter.— 271 samples were taken, of these, 10 turned out to be margarine,
half being in the first quarter of the year. One sample contained
an excess of water (0.7 per cent.). Proceedings were taken in 7 instances
for not properly labelling margarine.
Cheese, 3 samples, and 12 of cream cheese, were taken. One of the
latter proved to be a curd cheese containing a very small percentage of
fat. Samples were taken of lard, and substitutes for lard and butter
prepared from nuts. Two of the nut lards contained 11 per cent, and
7 per cent, of water respectively. In one instance, nut lard was sold as
ordinary lard. Olive oil, which is now difficult to obtain, was sampled
on 18 occasions. With two exceptions, the samples were found to be
genuine, these two had been mixed with other cheaper oils, one to the
extent of 5 per cent., the other at least 25 per cent.
Meat pies, brawn, soups, fish and meat pastes and sausages were
examined, and were found to be almost all free of boric acid preservative,
and, where present, averaged about 7 grs. per lb., in no case exceeding
16.3 grs.
Bottled shrimps were found containing 49.7 grs. of boric acid per lb.
Arrowroot, cocoa, coffee proved genuine. Two samples of vinegar
were diluted with water, one to the extent of 3 per cent., the other, 7 per
cent. Tinned and bottled vegetables.—77 samples of peas, spinach,
French beans, mixed vegetables, were examined; 58 were coloured with
copper—under 1 gr. in many, and under 2 grs. in the majority ; 15 were
under 3 grs., and 6 had 3 grs., or slightly over. In three instances, the
amounts ran up to 4. 4, 4. 8 and 7. 19 grs. All these were foreign produce,
and probably the increase in the amount of copper is due to the loss of
skilled labour. These canned articles are largely used in hotels and
restanrants, the chefs of which apparently prefer to use them, even when
fresh vegetables are obtainable at cheaper rates, the reason given being
that they save time in marketing and in preparation.
Unsound Food.—The total amount of fruit and vegetables condemned
was 73 tons 8 cwts. 59 lbs.; delay in transit being responsible in the
case of foreign fruit.
Of fish, 8 cwt. 91 lbs. were condemned. Beef, 2 cwt. 34½ lbs.
Sausages, 6 cwt. 28 lbs. ; 15 fowls, 6 turkeys, 120 sweetbreads, and
14 calves' scalps were also found unfit for food.
War Bread, as made at first, was not satisfactory, and there was a
tendency to the development of " ropiness," which necessitated a quantity