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A milk bottle contained a toy dog and, owing to the clean condition of the toy and the absence
of any curdled milk adhering to it, your analyst thought that the toy was probably present when
the bottle was washed and filled, though it was impossible to be certain.
A sample of national dried milk was reported as inferior because it contained a number of specks
of slightly caramelised milk.
Two milk shake powders were incorrectly labelled. The samples should not have been described
as 'Pineapple' and 'Banana' respectively but as 'Pineapple Flavour' and 'Banana Flavour.'
The list of ingredients was also slightly incorrect, and as a result of representations the manufacturers
amended their labels.
A sample of butter, which had been specially prepared for another country where it is permissible
to add boric acid as a preservative, contained .25 per cent. of boric acid. It could not be sold in
England.
Two samples of margarine were reported as adulterated because of a rancid and cardboard taste
on the outer surface. They gave slightly positive tests for rancidity by the Kreis test. Two other
samples were reported as inferior as they showed tests for rancidity by Lea's peroxide test of 9.2
and 9.4 per cent. respectively.
A sample of lard contained 0.5 per cent. of water and possessed an odour and taste of
decomposing protein. Lard must not contain more than 0.1 per cent. of water and should
preferably contain none. It should also be entirely free from meat extractives. It had been improperly
refined and was unfit for use.
A sample of canned boneless ham was reported as inferior on account of a discoloured patch in the
centre, along the line where the bone had been removed, showing that putrefactive bacteria were
developing. Insufficient care had been exercised during boning, and the ham had been improperly
pasteurised so that it was unfit for human consumption.
Some Irish stew contained only 20 per cent. of meat and was therefore deficient in meat. A can
of beef steak with gravy contained only 65 per cent. of meat and was therefore 13 per cent. deficient
in meat content, as beef steak with gravy must contain not less than 75 per cent. of meat.
A sample of pork luncheon meat contained only 73 per cent. of meat and was therefore 19 per cent.
deficient in meat.
Some pork sausages contained 60 per cent. of total meat and were therefore 7.5 per cent. deficient
in meat content. Pork sausages, in the opinion of your analyst, must contain not less than 65 per cent.
of meat.
A sample of dressed crab reputed to contain 95 per cent. of crab meat contained 4.25 per cent. of
starch and added water, so that it could by no stretch of the imagination be called dressed crab.
The crab meat in six cans of natural crab was discoloured and possessed a most unpleasant
flavour. The iron content of the meat varied from 100 to 150 parts per million, whereas in normal
dressed crab it is only 20 parts per million. The discolouration was therefore due to iron but as the
top seams of the cans were faulty it was impossible to state whether the whole of this iron had been
derived from the seams or partly from some other source.
Some chicken cutlets contained only 21 per cent. of meat, and were considered to be 58 per cent.
deficient in meat. Your analyst believes that the public expects to find at least 50 per cent. of chicken
in a chicken cutlet. Two samples of nut cutlets contained only negligible quantities of nuts. The
manufacturers stated that 40 per cent. of cashew nuts was present, but this amount was thought to
be insufficient; there should be at least 80 per cent. Cashew nuts are difficult to identify due to
the cotyledons of the cashew nut possessing no characteristic microscopic characters and being full
of starch which is similar to wheat and barley starch. Formerly, larger quantities of ground nuts
were used in making nut cutlets, but their flavour is inferior to that of cashew nuts.
A soup powder, labelled in German and Hebrew only, further failed to comply with the Labelling
of Food Order inasmuch as the ingredients did not appear to be given either in German or Hebrew.
A sample of canned cat food was submitted for examination because the product was known to
be used for human consumption. The food was found to be sterile, and, whilst it is impossible to
prevent people eating it if they wish to do so, it would certainly be impossible to ask manufacturers
to label the product ' Not for human consumption,' as this would virtually kill the trade amongst
those people who think that animal food should be at least as good as that supplied to humans.
A sample of effluent from a beef-boiling process was submitted for examination. It was really a
sewage effluent which contained an excessive quantity of organic matter and was too strong to be
discharged directly into the sewer,