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89
B 591. Soft cheese containing 0.5 per cent, of fat, made from
separated milk. Vendor cautioned.
B 710 (Informal). Whole milk soft cheese containing 19.4 per cent
of fat.
With regard to the above samples the Public Health Committee authorised
the Medical Officer of Health to circularise all purveyors of cream cheese in the
Borough. The circular stated that cream cheese should contain not less than
35 per cent, of fat and that it was a contravention of the provisions of the
Food and Drugs (Adulteration) Act, 1928, to sell soft cheese containing a
less amount of fat as cream cheese. Since this notice was circulated many
vendors have stated when cream cheese was asked for, either that they had
none or that they only supplied soft cheese.
The standard given is arrived at in the following way. According to
a leaflet published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries there are two
varieties of cream cheese manufactured. Double Cream Cheese, made from
cream containing about 50 per cent, of fat, and Single Cream Cheese made
from cream containing 25 to 30 per cent, of fat.
One gallon of cream containing 50 per cent, of fat makes 32 one-quarter
pound double cream cheeses. One gallon of cream containing 25 to 30 per
cent, of fat makes 24 one-quarter pound single cream cheeses. From these
figures the percentage of fat in the final product can be calculated from the
weight of cheese obtained from the weight of one gallon of each kind of cream.
On this basis the percentage of fat in double cream cheese made from
cream containing 50 per cent, of fat should be 61 per cent., and the percentage
of fat in single cream cheese made from cream containing 30 to 25 per cent,
of fat should be 50 and 42 per cent, respectively.
I have, therefore, adopted a minimum standard of 35 per cent, of fat in
cream cheese in Stepney and consider this figure to be a reasonable one.
Out of 6 samples of chocolate cakes examined 3 samples were returned
as adulterated.
C 174 (Informal). Contained 1.1 per cent, of dry fat-free cocoa
material.
C 175 (Informal). Contained 0.5 per cent, of dry fat-free cocoa
material.
C 176 (Informal). Contained doubtful traces of cocoa material.
Chocolate
Cakes.
Further samples of the same kind of cakes were not obtainable. To
have a reasonable taste of chocolate, cakes should contain 4 per cent, of dry
fat-free cocoa material.
5 samples of ice cream were examined. Two of these described as cream
ice were free from starch and contained 19.3 and 19.7 per cent, of milk fat
respectively. The remaining samples sold as ice cream contained starch and
2.4 2.5 and 3.5 per cent, of milk fat respectively. There is no legal standard
controlling the composition of ice cream but it is however generally agreed
that a milk fat standard of about 7 per cent, would be a reasonable one.
Ice Cream.
2 samples of jam out of 6 examined were unsatisfactory.
Jam.