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76
Margarine as " Butter-Mate." Although the vendors comply with the
law in putting the substance in packages labelled "Margarine," it must
not be supposed that Margarine sold as " Butter-Mate " contains more
butter-fat than Margarine in general. Indeed, the maximum amount of
butter-fat which is permitted in any Margarine has been fixed by Section
8 of the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, 1899, at 10 per cent. of the
total fat.
Most of the samples purchased under the Sale of Food and Drugs
Act have been obtained through the employment of a deputy, for the
sanitary inspectors are well known to tradesmen and others. In a few
instances we have purchased samples without going through the formalities
prescribed by the Acts; the object being to submit these to
analysis, and, if they proved unsatisfactory, to subsequently take
samples under the prescribed formalities, so that proceedings might be
instituted against the vendor,
All the samples of Milk, Butter and Margarine were tested for
antiseptics, with the result that 11 of the samples of Milk, 8 of Butter,
and 3 of Margarine were found to contain them. In no case was the
amount sufficient to warrant a prosecution, but in one or two instances
the vendors were cautioned.