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In Austria the chemical analysis of samples of food, taken by the officials of local
authorities, under the Austrian Food Act, are examined by chemists of the local state
chemical laboratory. Shortly after the passing of the Act the opinions given by the
analysis in cases heard in the courts were so often contradictory that discord was thrown on
the whole procedure. In 1891 an attempt was made to formulate a common mode of
examination of samples and general standards by which an opinion on the condition of the
article would be given which would be accepted by the majority of experts. But as this
effort originated from professional men only and had received no official recognition the
conclusions reached carried but little weight in the law courts. The need for Government
intervention became obvious, and in 1907 an official commission was appointed consisting of
representatives of the Ministers concerned, the chief health officials, professional men, and
one member of the Chamber of Commerce of Vienna. From these a small editorial subcommittee
was appointed by professional men, health officials, a representative of the
Viennese Chamber of Commerce and a small number of experts chosen from manufacturers
and traders, these latter varied according to the article of food under consideration. Before
the final report was issued a draft of the findings was submitted far their observations to
members of the larger committee and to all the Chambers of Commerce in Austria. The
Codex alimentarius thus formulated did not, however, obtain the status of a legal document;
it was not given the force of law. The analysts were required to use the methods of
examination laid down, and in forming their conclusions to pay regard to the standards
given in the Codex. But the court of justice were not required to base their verdicts on the
Codex; to the magistrates it is only an official collection of the opinion of experts which
serves as a guide; they are at liberty to use their own judgment when considering their
verdict. The institution of the Codex has had the effect of diminishing almost to vanishing
point complaints of unfairness of legal verdicts, and although some of the requirements are
stringent the Austrian trading world have come to see that they make for fair dealing
between vendor and consumer.
Canada and Australasia. '
The formulation of the Austrian Codex has had an effect, directly and indirectly, on the
food legislation of many other countries. Although they do not follow the Codex closely, the
Sale of Food and Drugs Acts and the regulations made under them by Canada, New Zealand
and the several Australian States, New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia,
Western Australia and Tasmania all include standards. These States have gone farther than
Austria in that these standards are legal standards. The requirements of each of these
States, although in the main similar, are by no means identical. As a rule the regulations
do not enact that certain tests shall be followed in the analysis a marked feature of the
Austrian Codex consequent largely on the history of its origin. However, the Regulations
for South Australia do enact in the case of the determination of fat in milk, the mode of
sampling to be followed under varying conditions and lay down the method of carrying out
the test.
In this country controversies on the correct terminology of the various kinds of flour and
bread have been going on for many years. When we ask for brown bread we do not know nor
have we any real guarantee of what we are getting. Obviously in the case of bread, a
foodstuff which constitutes so large a part of the daily food of millions, the public should
be in a position to know exactly what they are eating. Any manipulation of flour such as
bleaching which might permit an inferior quality to be sold as a superior article is
undesirable.
The Regulations under the New Zealand Sale of Food and Drugs Act, 1908, for example,
make the position quite clear; in them flour is distinguished as whole-meal flour, part wholemeal
flour, flour and self-raising flour, they require that whole-meal flour shall be the clean
sound product obtained by grinding end well-cleaned sound milling wheat, and shall contain