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Of the total number submitted, the following were found to be unsatisfactory:—
A formal sample of strawberry puffs produced within the Borough showed that the label stating
that the filling contained butter was false. Proceedings were instituted under Section 2 of the Food
and Drugs Act 1955 and a fine of £20 and 2 gns. costs was imposed.
Six samples of cheese balls, cheese sticks and cheese sauce were found to have a misleading
description, the Public Analyst being of the opinion that the words "cheese flavoured" should be
used on the labels. This was brought to the attention of the suppliers who agreed to amend the
labels accordingly.
Similar action was taken in the case of creamy toffees where the Analyst also considered the
description misleading. The producer agreed to discontinue the offending label.
A sample of a ginger beer shandy was found to contain 1.6% proof spirit. The Analyst stated
that in order to justify the name "shandy" he considered that the beverage should be excisable or
in other words contain more than 2% proof spirit. This matter was referred to the Ministry of
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food who said that there were widely differing opinions as to whether a
shandy should be a 50/50 drink, pointing out that the Food Standards Committee was unlikely to
be considering the question again for some time as the Soft Drinks Regulations had recently been
amended.
A sample of beef sausage meat was found to contain undeclared preservative and this fact was
brought to the attention of the retailer.
The following samples of Imported Food taken from London Airport were also submitted for
examination and were found to be satisfactory, the vegetables being free from residual pesticides.
Vegetables 4
Sausages 4
Cheese 1
Departmental Samples
A small laboratory has been established in the department where a number of tests on foods
can be carried out, namely tests for the presence of preservatives in meat, presence of boric acid in
cream, the determination of the acetic acid content of vinegar and non-brewed condiment, the
distinction between vinegar and non-brewed condiment, the estimation of iodine in tincture of
iodine, and the estimation of water in butter and margarine together with the presence of boric
preservative. Apparatus is also available for the determination of the freezing point depression of
milk (to detect added water).
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