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15
REPORT OF THE PUBLIC ANALYST
During the year 2,112 samples were submitted, 2,000 being
informal. The samples submitted consisted of 886 milk. 1,102 other
foodstuffs and 124 drugs. Eleven samples of milk were found to be
adulterated. The average composition of the milk analysed during
the year was : total milk solids 12.32, milk fat 3.51, non-fatty solids
8.81.
Nine samples of other foodstuffs were found to be adulterated,
viz.:—sponge mixture, infested; tomato juice, labelling offence; barley
flakes, incorrectly labelled ; saccharin tablets, 5 per cent, deficient
in saccharin ; lemonade powder, labelling offence ; fruit preserving
tablets, 13 per cent. deficient in sulphur dioxide ; canned fruit pudding,
contained sand and was mouldy.
Samples of-the following substances were analysed:— beverages
17 samples ; biscuits 16 ; butter 91 ; cereal preparations 48 ; cheese
64 ; coffee 16 ; fish paste 17 ; flavouring essences 16 ; ice-cream 60 ;
jam and marmalade 25 ; lard and cooking fat 84 ; margarine 91 ;
meat products 13 ; milk, canned, 9 ; pickles and sauces 20 ; spices
and condiments 36 ; sugar 91 ; tea 91 ; vegetables, canned, 22 ;
vinegar 15.
The average water content of the 91 samples of butter was 15.1
per cent.; that of the 91 samples of margarine, 15 per cent. The
average boric acid content of the samples of margarine was 0.19
per cent.
Three samples were submitted for analysis on the complaints
of ratepayers. In two cases concerning samples of mincemeat and
milk the complaints were considered to be unjustified ; in the third
case, a sample of canned fruit pudding was found1 to be mouldy and
contained sand and the complaint was considered justified.