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96
BUTTER.
Eighty-nine samples were analysed of which two or 2.2 per cent. were returned
as adulterated.
J 48. Contained 3.7 per cent. excess of water. Informal sample.
E 69. Consisted of margarine. Fined £10.
Boric acid is practically the only preservative systematically used in the case
of butter. Rather over half the samples submitted to me contained this preservative.
46.3 per cent. of the samples were free from preservative.
26.2 „ „ „ contained 0.1 per cent, boric acid.
17.5 ,, ,, ,, 0.2 „ „
5 ,, ,, ,, ,, 0.3 ,, ,,
5 ,, ,, ,, 0.4 ,, ,,
The Departmental Committee on Preservatives in Food recommend that the
only preservative allowed to be used for butter and margarine should be boric acid
or borax, in amount not exceeding 0.5 per cent. calculated as boric acid. As this
limit is generally accepted I had to report all the above samples as genuine. The
above figures show that butter can be sold free from preservative and I consider
that preserved butter should be required to have a declaratory label similar to that
required in the case of preserved cream.
MARGARINE.
Seventy-three samples were analysed, all of which were genuine.
Most of the samples contained boric acid as a preservative. Of the samples
submitted to me :—
10.9 per cent. of the samples were free from preservative.
8.7 contained 0.2 per cent. boric acid.
43.5 0.2
32.5 0.3
4.4 0.4
20 vendors of margarine had not complied with the requirements of the Butter
and Margarine Acts, with regard to labelling.
The main legal requirements in connection with the sale of margarine are :—
(1) That each parcel of margarine exposed for sale shall be clearly marked
" Margarine " in printed capital letters of not less than one and a half
inches.