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Some of the above changes will not bear fruit immediately,
but the Pood Standards committee of the Ministry of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Food produced a number of Reports n 1956 which,
if adopted and translated into Regulations, will have a direct
influence on the work, of the public analyst in future years.
It is now proposed to allow the use of certain antioxidants
in foods in restricted quantities. These substances tend to
delay rancidity in fats and, as such, are classed as preservatives,
tut under the Preservatives Regulations now in force their use
would be illegal.
A Report has also been issued on Colouring Matters in Food,
and it has been recommended that a permitted list of about 30
synthetic colours be allowed and that all other colours except
certain colours of natural origin be forbidden, Similarly a
Report on the use of emulslflers, stabilisers and similar
substances in foods also recommends a short permitted list of
harmless substances to the exclusion of others which may not
be so.
The Flour Regulations which came into force in September
1956 prescribed certain compulsory additions to flour including
chalk (14 oz. to the sack), the two vitamins aneurln and
nicotinamide, and iron. It is the duty of Food and Drugs
Authorities to enforce such Regulations as these, and all this
means additional work for the public analyst. I foresee a
period of very great activity which will require the maximum
co-operation between the Ministry, Food and Drugs Authorities
and the public analyst.
There is little necessary by way of comment on the
examination of the samples already noted by the Chief Public
Health inspector. The samples to which exception has been
taken are very varied in character and show the wisdom of
intelligently covering a wide field, a practice which has been
pursued with similar success for many years in this Borough.
The problems of labelling and description of foods and of
drugs are by no means easy, and most of the offences committed
by manufacturers and packers are unintentional. It is gratifying
to find in most cases a ready desire to co-operate and to ensure
that there can be no possibility of misleading the public as to
the nature, substance or quality of the article being sold.
The misleading advertising of articles is one which is
more difficult to bring under control and it is hoped that in
due course advantage will be taken of the changes in the law
which allow of positive Regulations being made to apply to
advertisements as well as labels.
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