View report page

. 81
During the past four years 5 samples of coffee out of 59
taken have been found adulterated, and one of cocoa out of
48. But no adulteration was discovered in 16 samples of
vinegar, 19 of flour, 10 sugar and sweets, 62 tea, 35 mustard,
29 jam, 17 condensed milk, and 70 drugs, nor in any one of the
smaller number of several other articles, other than milk and
butter, taken for analysis. From the Local Government
Board Annual Report for 1910 it appears that in that year
the adulteration of samples taken in the Metropolis was about
9 per cent. for tea, 7 per cent. for coffee, 19 per cent. for
cocoa, 13 per cent. for mustard, nil for flour, 10 per cent, for
confectionery and jams, and 4 per cent. for drugs. As
regards all the above articles except coffee, Woolwich shows
less adulteration than the rest of London.
One difficulty in detecting adulteration is the necessity
of dividing each sample into three parts; this necessitates
taking so large an amount of the article purchased that the
suspicion of the vendor is aroused. This applies especially
to drugs.
8. Of the 19 adulterated milk samples for which proceedings
were taken the adulteration varied from 6.6 to
25.4 per cent. of added water, and from 4.6 to 21.6
deficiency in fat.
The adulterated sample of butter contained 2.13 per cent.
excess of water. Proceedings were taken and a fine of £2
inflicted.
%
The fines varied from 10s. to £4. In one case which was
dismissed on proof of warranty, there was 15 per cent.
deficiency in fat.
F