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the future and that the word 'non-alcoholic' should be in substantially the same size type as the other
descriptive words. The Minister also drew attention to the fact that the majority of these products
are imported from abroad and that he had been unable to hold discussions with the manufacturers.
Since very few confectioners hold licences for the sale of alcoholic liquors it is illegal for them to sell
real liqueur chocolates.
"During the year the Minister of Food withdrew the Labelling of Food Advisory Service which
had been operating very successfully for some years. Whilst this service had no legislative power it
provided a most useful liaison between food manufacturers and packers on the one hand and local
authorities on the other. Any manufacturer seeking advice was given the benefit of the experience
of the legal and chemical advisers of the Minister and most manufacturers, having been given this
advice, accepted it loyally. From the point of view of the public analyst the service was invaluable
because, whenever he was in doubt regarding the description or labelling of any product, he had only
to contact the Ministry to know whether the matter had received the approval of the Ministry and,
if so, whether the Ministry had been informed correctly of the composition of the food. With the
disappearance of this service every public analyst will be obliged to express his own opinion regarding
the labelling of a product and its composition in regard to such label. In the event of the local authority
supporting the public analyst it will have to be decided whether the matter is one which should be
discussed amicably with the manufacturer or whether legal action should be taken. It is thus seen
that the advice and opinion of one central advisory service are being replaced by some three hundred
and fifty critics, who will not necessarily all be of the same opinion. The increase in eventual cost will
be enormous and cannot but cause irritation to reputable manufacturers."
A prosecution was taken in respect of a sample of sausages found to contain foreign matter described
by the Public Analyst as a "piece of hide and fur" from the tip of a pig's tail. The defendants called
expert evidence to refute that of the Public Analyst, and the magistrate said that he felt that the substance
complained of came within the provisions of section 4 (4) of the Act, namely, that the presence
of the foreign matter was an unavoidable consequence of the process of preparation. He said he would
dismiss the summons in view of the conflict of evidence, and awarded the defendants £15 15s. Od. costs
against the Council. Legal proceedings were not advised in connection with any other samples adversely
reported upon by the Public Analyst, and the matters were taken up, with satisfactory results, with
the manufacturers, wholesalers or retailers concerned. One other prosecution under the Food and Drugs
Act concerning the presence of foreign matter in foods is reported under the heading " Bakehouses "
on page 24.
Milk.—There are 163 premises from which milk is sold, and inspections made numbered 235.
During the year 226 applications under the Milk (Special Designations) (Raw Milk) Regulations,
1949, and the Milk (Special Designations) (Pasteurised and Sterilised Milk) Regulations, 1949, were
received from 70 milk purveyors, and licences were granted as follows:—
Tuberculin tested milk 52 dealer's and 14 supplementary.
Pasteurised milk 1 pasteuriser's, 63 dealer's and
15 supplementary.
Sterilised milk 1 steriliser's, 64 dealer's and 16
supplementary.
The average composition of the 80 genuine samples of milk analysed was: total solids 12.31 per
cent.; fat, 3.58 per cent.; solids not fat, 8.72 per cent., as compared with the legal minima, namely,
11.50 per cent., 3.00 per cent, and 8.50 per cent, respectively. One other sample of milk analysed,
following a private complaint, had a deficiency of fat probably due to removal by the complainant.
Fifty-four samples of milk taken at the premises of two authorised wholesale firms operating heat
treatment plants were submitted to the tests prescribed for the various designations. All but one
(which under the phosphatase test was a border-line case) were reported to be satisfactory. Of 88
other samples of milk examined by the Council's Bacteriologist, all were found to comply with the
requisite standards.
Butter and Margarine Premises.—Fifteen dealers in margarine and two butter manufacturers were
on the register. Forty inspections of the premises were made.
Ice Cream.—The number of premises on the register was 170, which includes four where ice cream
is manufactured : 168 inspections were made.
Forty samples of ice cream were examined bacteriologically. Of these, 36 passed the methylene blue
test, 29 being grade 1 and seven grade 2. Of the remainder, three fell into grade 3 and one grade 4,
which cannot be considered as satisfactory. The question of these latter samples was in each case
taken up with the manufacturers either direct or through the medical officers of health of the
districts in which the factories were situated.