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19
A complaint regarding a sample of Coffee Jap Pastry was referred to in last year's report and
subsequently the Coffee Glace Compound used in the cake was submitted for examination. This
was satisfactory and it would appear that insufficient essence had been used in the cake.
Two Pork Pies and a Steak and Kidney Pie showed mould growth and were considered unfit for
sale.
A canned Casserole Steak contained three large pieces of gristle amounting to 17 per cent. by
weight of the pack and a considerable number of small pieces of gristle and was, therefore, reported
as inferior. A product labelled "Pork Kidneys in Natural Juice" contained about 90 per cent.
of kidney and was very satisfactory as a canned meat, but it contained 10 per cent. of added water,
which is not natural juice, so that the description was incorrect. Two samples of Luncheon Meat
were sold as Chopped Pork, and were, therefore, reported as adulterated. Four other samples of
Luncheon Meat were examined for the presence of Milk Powder, but its presence could not be
proved.
A complaint sample of portions of chicken for frying, and an unopened packet used for
comparison, consisted of the back of the chicken cut up, whereas the illustration on the label showed
a leg, a wing, and a breast. The illustration was considered to be misleading.
A worm found in a portion of Frozen Chicken Liver was identified as a portion of a round worm
(Ascandia galli) commonly found in the intestine of a variety of birds.
Apples reported to have caused food poisoning were examined, but nothing could be found which
might cause such symptoms. The lead was less than 1 part per million, the copper 0.3 parts per
million and the arsenic less than 0.1 part per million.
Two samples, one sold as Swedish Salad, and the other as Prawn Balchow, contained added
benzoic acid preservative. It is doubtful whether these come under the heading of Pickles and
Sauces permitted to contain benzoic acid as a preservative, but it was thought that the distinction
was so academic that, provided they were labelled correctly and complied with the requirements
of the Preservative Regulations, and also bore a label stating that they contained preservative,
no exception should be taken. In the case of the Prawn Balchow, however, the quantity of benzoic
acid, 320 parts per million, was excessive as the maximum permitted quantity for a pickle or sauce
is 250 parts per million.
A can of molasses was fermenting badly when opened, showing that the concentration of the
sugar was insufficient. Two samples of Norwegian dressed crab were not of the quality expected.
They were sterile, but were a very dark muddy grey colour, in small pieces, and much bone was
present. They had an unpleasant flavour but the appearance may have helped to create the impression
of an unpleasant taste.
A canned cream of chicken soup contained 3 per cent. of fat and was reported as 14 per cent.
deficient in fat.
Two soup mixes were considered to be incorrectly labelled as your Analyst believes that these
products should be described as "appetizer soup powders" rather than soup mix powders.
Some chipped potatoes had a rancid flavour and, although the free fatty acids in the oil were only
0.3 per cent. as oleic acid, the oil gave a strongly positive reaction to the Kreis test for rancidity.
A number of people were ill after eating some steak and kidney pies, and an enamel bowl used in
their preparation was therefore submitted for examination. No antimony or other poisonous material
could be detected.
Three cans of peas stated to be the subject of complaint were examined. They were reported as
inferior because they were over-ripe; insufficient care had been exercised in picking out defective
peas and pieces of pod, and the processing was unsatisfactory.
A box of prunes contained a considerable amount of faecal matter from some form of larva,
and also an appreciable quantity of actual webbing from larvae which had pupated, but there was
only one pupa left in the box. The so-called sugar on the prunes consisted essentially of yeast,
probably encouraged by the excrement of the larvae.
Some mushroom sauce stated to be prepared with white French wine and other constituents
contained only 0.984 per cent. of alcohol calculated as proof spirit. Unfortunately, owing to claims
by manufacturers that they boil off most of the alcohol during manufacture it is very difficult to
check up on the quantity initially used.
A sample of rheumatism herbs contained part of the body of a dead beetle, while an extract of
herbs sold for making herb beer was stated to yield a non-intoxicating beverage. In view of the fact
that the beer was to be made from a solution containing 15 per cent. sugar, the resultant alcoholic
strength could be as high as 7.5 per cent. of alcohol by weight or 16 per cent. proof. Such a liquor
is highly intoxicating.