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sausages had been stored in galvanised iron buckets and contained respectively : zinc 100 p.p.m.,
iron 25 p.p.m. ; zinc 150 p.p.m., iron 40 p.p.m. ; and zinc 100 p.p.m., iron 25 p.p.m. It was
interesting to note that the zinc appeared to pass through the skins of the sausages into the interior
meat whereas the iron remained on the skins. Some Scotch eggs contained only 50 per cent. of
sausage meat and it was considered that the layer of crumbs and frying oil were too thick.
A mock salmon cutlet was essentially a superior coloured white fish cake and was not a cutlet.
The label of ' Herring Fillets in Paprika Sauce ' was considered to have a misleading illustration,
as paprikas were prominently illustrated but were present only in very small quantity.
A product labelled ‘Bar-B-Qu Smoke’ for the flavouring of meat or fish consisted of an aqueous
extract of wood tar oil, but there was no disclosure of ingredients. It contained 0.43 per cent.
of phenols calculated as resorcinol.
A canned consomme beef soup contained only 2.7 per cent. of protein, which did not comply
with the requirements of the revoked Canned Meat and Canned Soup (Control and Maximum
Prices) Order, 1941. When diluted according to the directions it made a very inferior product.
Some Kosher condensed chicken soup with matzo balls contained only 10.94 per cent. of total
solid matter with 1.87 per cent. of protein, and when diluted as directed with an equal volume of
water the total solids would be reduced to 5.5 per cent. and the protein to 0.9 per cent. The label
of a lobster bisque with cognac was considered misleading as the product contained less than 1
per cent. of cognac.
Some chocolate novelties were of very poor quality, but were probably sold at a low price. A
walnut delight was stated to have been prepared from seedless raisins, dates, walnuts, and honey,
but at least half the so-called walnuts were cashew nuts, so that it should have been labelled ' walnut
and cashew nut delight,' with cashew nuts included amongst the ingredients. The green colour
used for a sample of coloured sugar crystals was a colour permitted in the United States but not in
this country and the blue dye used for some cake decoration balls was also a colour not permitted
in this country.
A sample of marmalade contained 60.8 per cent. only of soluble solids, calculated as sucrose.
The marmalade was packed in a hermetically sealed container and must contain not less than 65
per cent. of soluble solids. In spite of considerable correspondence no satisfactory description has
yet been suggested by the manufacturers. A Greek product labelled ‘Quince Gelly’ neither complied
with the requirements of the Food Standards (Preserves) Order nor was it labelled with a list of its
ingredients. A pineapple flavourd curd and a banana flavoured curd were received, but by implication
such curds cannot be sold since the Food Standards (Preserves) Order requires all fruit curds to
contain lemon or orange oil.
Some prunes were reported as inferior because a maggot and insect faeces were present in the
5 ozs. received, and most of the prunes were more or less covered with a bloom consisting of yeast
colonies.
Muscatel cluster raisins contained 12 raisins attacked by insects, some debris of raisin tissue and
insect faeces, probably from maggots, and insect webbing was also present. The sample was reported
as inferior.
A mineral water possessed a paraffin odour. When submitted for examination the bottle contained
less than l/5th of a fluid ounce of liquid so that it appeared that some 98-99 per cent. of the contents
had been consumed before the taint was noticed. The stopper and washer of the bottle were the
probable origin of contamination.
Some raspberry syrup contained sulphur dioxide which was not declared, though the label
purported to make a declaration of ingredients. If any ingredients are declared they must all be
listed except water.
A dried coffee extract was labelled ‘Pure Coffee in Powder Form—100 per cent. Pure Coffee,’
whereas it was a sample of dried coffee extract and should have been described as ' coffee extract
in powder form—100 per cent. pure ' without the final coffee. A seed tea consisted of four mixed
spices, caraway, anise, fennel, and coriander and was very satisfactory as such, but these ingredients
were not disclosed as required by the Labelling of Food Order.
A sample of roasted chick peas was salted, but the presence of the salt was not disclosed. Some
broad beans contained 32 per cent. of worm eaten beans and three pupa cases, whilst another sample
contained 8.5 per cent. of worm eaten beans. A sample of brown beans contained 7 dead beetles
and continental lentils contained 0.28 per cent. of stones.