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36
SUPERVISION OF FOODS AND DRUGS.
During the year 1923, 951 samples of food or drugs were submitted to the Public
Analyst for examination. Of this number, 714 were taken as test samples without
the formality of the Act being observed ; of these 21 were found to be adulterated,
made up as follows:—
3 of Butter out of 72 samples taken.
3 of Milk out of 48 samples taken.
2 of Boracic Ointment out of 5 samples taken.
2 of Margarine out of 46 samples taken.
2 of Cream out of 12 samples taken.
2 of Sweet Spirits of Nitre out of 3 samples taken.
1 of Cocoa out of 25 samples taken.
1 of Mustard out of 18 samples taken.
1 of Zinc Ointment out of 8 samples taken.
1 of Sponge Cake out of 8 samples taken.
1 of Flaked Beef Suet out of 1 sample taken.
1 of Camphorated Oil out of 3 samples taken.
1 of Rice out of 12 samples taken.
Of the formal samples, 27 out of 237 were found to be adulterated, made up
as follows:—
16 of Milk out of 204 samples taken.
4 of Whiskey out of 6 samples taken.
2 of Cream out of 2 samples taken.
1 of Zinc Ointment out of 1 sample taken.
1 of Mustard out of 1 sample taken.
1 of Camphorated Oil out of 1 sample taken.
1 of Rum out of 1 sample taken.
1 of Condensed Full Cream Milk Sweetened out of 1 sample taken.
Several of the above samples are additional samples purchased at the same
shops as those from which samples purchased informally had proved to be adulterated.
Only 48 samples of fresh milk were purchased informally, the practice during
the last nine months of the year was to observe all formalities in milk sampling.
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.—The percentage rate of adulteration of all
foods sampled in the City in 1923 is 5.0 as compared with 11.2 for 1922. The
latter figure was due to the special method of sampling employed for the purpose
of investigating the prevalence of the use of preservatives and for obtaining proof
of the need for standards in certain classes of foodstuffs.
In view of the appointment of a Departmental Committee to consider the
question of preservatives in food, systematic sampling similar to that of last year
was not carried out, it being deemed desirable to await the publication of the
Report of the Committee.
The Public Health (Condensed Milk) Regulations, 1923, became operative on
1st November, 1923, for the control of the sale of the commodity by retail. Sampling
under the Regulations was commenced, but the examination of all the brands
and varieties obtainable was not completed by the close of the year.
The several instances of adulteration and failure to comply with statutory
requirements are reported elsewhere under their respective headings.
MARGARINE.—The three cases of adulteration of margarine were each due
to an excess of water. The vendors were cautioned.
BUTTER.—The two cases of adulteration of butter were both due to an excess
of water. The vendors were cautioned.
DRUGS.—A total of 8 samples of drugs were found to be adulterated inasmuch
as they did not comply with the standards required by the British Pharmacopoeia.
Six were informal samples and two formal. The latter resulted in two prosecutions.
Cautions were given in the remaining instances.
SPIRITS.—In two of the four instances of adulteration of whiskey, cautions
were given because of the unsatisfactory manner in which the notices of dilution
were displayed. In the remaining two cases no proceedings were taken as dilution
notices were conspicuously exhibited at the time the purchases were made. The
vendor of one sample of Rum slightly below the standard was cautioned.