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Report of the Public A nalyst.
15
or not as described on the label, viz. :—butter contained 50 per
cent. margarine ; egg squares, devoid of whole egg ; milk substitute
powder which was not a milk substitute ; pearl barley
which was infested with mite; egg powder, falsely described ;
beef sausages contained sulphur dioxide; cream cheese contained
50 per cent. margarine fat; orange substitute, claim on label not
justified; chocolate powder contained 10 per cent. powdered
chalk.
Samples of the following substances were analysed:- arrowroot,
12 samples ; barley, five ; bread, 28 ; butter, 28 ; cake, 33 ;
cereals, 13 ; cheese, 21 ; cocoa, 35 ; coffee, 12 ; cornflour, three ;
dripping and lard, 15 ; essences, 18 ; fat, one ; fish, canned or
in paste form, 36 ; flour, 29 ; food powders, 77 ; ginger, seven;
jam, six ; margarine, 22 ; meat products, 66 ; mustard, nine ;
pepper, 12 ; pickles and sauces, 35 ; rice, 21 ; salad oil, four ;
salt, eight; spice, nine ; soup, canned, 21 ; sugar, 19 ; tapioca,
13 ; tea, 18 ; vegetables, canned and dried, 56 ; vinegar, 11 ;
yeast, one.
The average water content of the 20 samples of butter was
15.2 per cent. ; that of the 22 samples of margarine, 14.8 percent.
Three of the samples were submitted for analysis on the
complaint of ratepayers, viz. :—one sample of butter, one saccharin
tablets and one of liquid egg substitute. The sample of butter
was the one previously mentioned found to be adulterated with
50 per cent. margarine. The other two samples were genuine.
197 samples of drugs were analysed. Two were adulterated.
In conclusion I have to report that the adulteration detected
during 1941 was 14.28 per cent. of the formal samples and 1.19
per cent. of the informal samples and 1.25 per cent. of all samples
submitted.
I have the honour to be,
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
A. H. M. MUTER, F.I. C., F.C.S.,
Public Analyst.
325, Kennington Road,
S.E. 11.