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Report of the Public Analyst 41
Case No. 1711. Refreshers. Coloured and flavoured tablets
stated to be prepared from tartaric acid and
sodium bicarbonate. The tablets which disintegrated
in water with difficulty contained no
free tartaric acid and consequently no effervescence
was produced as the tablets dissolved.
No added flavour could be detected. The
complaint was considered justified.
Case No. 1712. Lemon Flavour Powder. Sold in a paper
packet with a straw. In addition to tartaric
acid and sodium bicarbonate, magnesium carbonate
sulphate and sodium phosphate was
stated to be present. There is no such substance
as mag. carb. sulph.; a preparation of
magnesium was present. Little effervescence
was produced with stirring with water and the
resulting mixture was alkaline and the taste
unpleasant. The powder has an aperient action
and is unsuitable for unrestricted sale to children.
Case No. 1813. Sugar confectionery, sold without points. The
flavour of an artificial essence of rum type was
several times too strong to make a palatable
article. The complaint was considered justified.
Case No. 1828. Milk. Complaint of quality. The milk was
found to be in excellent condition and the constituents
well above the average.
Mineral Oil.
Four samples of fruit cake were examined for the presence
of mineral oil; in no case was a positive result obtained.
Butter and Margarine.
The average water content of the 86 samples of butter proved
to be 14.9%, that of the 86 samples of margarine 14.8%. The
average content of boron preservative in the samples of margarine,
calculated to boric acid was 0.19%.