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18
With the transhipments and transportation systems that are operated nowa-days
it is not outside the bounds of possibility for a consignment of tea to
enter the country and arrive at a blender's premises without its having been
sampled for purity by a Port Health Authority. The liaison with other
Authorities is such that where a tea is found upon importation by the Port
Health Authority to contain excess amounts of lead, the particular chest in
question may be allowed to go forward to the blenders under guarantee that it
will be used in conjunction with other tea so that the final blend will satisfy
the requirements of the Regulations. The local authority in whose area the
blending takes place is supplied with the necessary information to identify
the chest, and final sampling is carried out to ensure that the lead content
does not exceed the proportions laid down.
This year 48 different blends were sampled and only one was found upon
analysis to contain quantities of lead in excess of the amount allowed by law.
The blenders were informed and the whole stock was immediately withdrawn from
sale and an undertaking was given by the Company concerned be reblend the
unsatisfactory stock with other suitable tea to give a blend conforming to the
Regulations, This in fact was done and, before the stock was released for
sale, samples showed that lead content was well within the permitted proportions.
A very important aspect in connection with the performance of duties
under the Pood& Drugs Act involves economics and requires thoughtful planning.
Some of the everyday commodities which are sampled for chemical analysis
require lengthy laboratory process to complete particular examinations which
become necessary in order to establish infringements. These examinations
cost more in time and money and some of the equipment essential to them is
very expensive. The sampling officer is thus restricted in his choice of
sample range, particularly in the field of drugs for fear of exceeding
budgetary allocations Quite a strong case could be made to support either
centralising laboratory work, or monetary assistance from the Ministry to
augment sampling programmes.