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So far as the samples purchased by the Sampling Officer were concerned, of 359 samples
submitted to the Public Analyst an adverse report was received in respect of 15 samples or 4.17%.
Four commodities were principally concerned, sausages, lard, tinned stewed steak and kipper
fillets. Two samples of pork sausages were found to contain an excess of fat meat. Representations
were made to the manufacturers who in each case promised to overhaul their
arrangements for checking recipes and weights. All subsequent samples were found to be satisfactory.
The difficulty with the samples of lard was that two separate antioxidants were used but
only one was disclosed on the label. Representations were made to the Importers who agreed to
prepare new labels which would comply with statutory requirements.
Three samples of tinned stewed steak were found to contain too low a meat content. All outstanding
stocks of these commodities were withdrawn from sale as soon as the attention of the
retailers was drawn to the report of the Public Analyst
Three samples of pre-packed kipper fillets contained artificial colouring matter, the presence
of which was not disclosed on the label. Representations were made to each of the manufacturers
concerned and a meeting between representatives of this department and the National Association
of Frozen Food Procedures was arranged. The opinion of this Association was as follows:-
"Colour is an integral part of the process of producing kippers and the colour need not,
theref ore, be declared as an addition."
The atten tion of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food was drawn to this matter, so that
the position could be clarified when new regulations were made.
The various consultations which have taken place between food importers and officers of
this Department have been very useful and have prevented the importation of foodstuffs which
would inevitably have necessitated statutory action.
The complaints made by members of the public concerning various articles of food enabled
useful checks to be made regarding hoth the method of preparation and manufacture and the stanT
dard of hygiene maintained. It must be appreciated, however, that these complaints must be
investigated with the utmost care and cannot always be taken at their face value. For instance,
the investigation of a complaint regarding watered milk at a school indicated that the cartons of
milk in question had been tampered with by one of the children.