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24
(v) Unsound Food.
During the year 469 visits were made to food premises, mainly
on request, for the purpose of dealing with unsound food, and a total
quantity of 8 tons 19 cwts., 34 lbs. of food was surrendered as unfit for
human consumption. Where possible all unsound food is disposed of for
animal feeding—the remainder being dealt with by the Cleansing Department.
(vi) The Food and Drugs Act, 1955.
During 1959, 318 samples were submitted for analysis, comprising
4 Formal and 313 Informal. Table 13 sets out the types of food
examined.
Of the 318 samples taken, 29 proved to be not genuine. Comments
on these are as under:—
Milk
Two bottles of milk were submitted for examination following complaints
that they contained foreign matter.
One sample consisted of a one-third pint bottle approximately ¼ full
of milk; this milk had a greyish colour and further examination of the
contents of the bottle showed the presence of a heavy blackish deposit
in the bottom.
Our examination of this blackish foreign matter showed that it consisted
essentially of finely divided carbonaceous matter of the nature of
lamp black admixed with mineral matter which was mainly silicious in
character.
In other words the foreign matter had the general composition of
soot.
The other sample was again a one-third pint bottle which in this
instance was approximately 2/3 full of milk and my examination of the
bottle showed that large areas of the inner surface were stained a pale
yellow and a pale brown colour.
Microscopical examination of these stained areas showed that they
were due to the presence of micro organisms of the nature of algae.
Corned Beef (2 samples)
This sample consisted of a large block of corned beef which showed
the presence of a number of blackened areas both on the surface of the
meat and also in the interior.
Chemical and microscopical examination of these blackened areas
showed that they were due to the development of iron sulphide.
The formation of iron sulphide in a meat product of this nature is
brought about by the action of micro organisms which produced traces
of sulphuretted hydrogen which subsequently react with the iron
naturally present in meat to give rise to the resulting black iron salphide.
Salmon and Shrimp Paste
Reference has already been made to the requirements of the
Colouring Matter in Food Regulations 1957 in previous reports. Another
sample of fish paste—salmon and shrimp, was found to contain
Rhodamine B, a non permitted colour. It was ascertained that this was
manufactured prior to the new Regulations coming into operation.