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Sampling Observations
It will be seen from the detailed classification that of two hundred
and sixteen samples taken during the year 1.4% were found to be other
than genuine and labelling infringements accounted for a further 2 ,77%
making a total of 4.17%
For comparative purposes the figures for 1960 were 0.91% and 2.74%
respectively, making a total of 3.65%.
The pattern of sampling has followed that of previous years in that
a wide range of commodities has been covered. A satisfying result has
emerged since the infringements revealed were generally of a minor
character and with the willing co-operation of retailers, importers and/or
manufacturers were usually readily adjusted.
Public Analyst's Comments, 1961
One is struck these days by the amazing variety of foods coming on
to the market, foods which at one time might have been sold by very high
class stores in London's West End or, for Continental Delicacies, in Soho,
but which now find their wqy into quite ordinary suburban shops and
supermarkets. Foreign foods of a specialist character come from West
Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, The Netherlands and from U.S.A. I
have no doubt this is a tendency which will increase as time goes on,
especially if we have the European Common Market, but I find that British
Manufacturers are not slow to accept the challenge and are themselves
introducing new varieties of foodstuffs often with ingeniously devised new
names designed to tickle the fancy, the palate and the pocket of the
purchaser. Who is this purchaser? Is it the traditional British Housewife
catering for her family, or the hostess looking for something to delight her
guests, or is it the single man or woman living in a small flat and
experimenting with food as part of life's experience? No doubt market
research has already given the answer, but I have not read of it.
Very little additional legislation affecting, the work of the Public
Analyst has been passed during 1961 There are now official limits for
lead in food (coming into force in April, 1962) but limits of a similar order
have been operated unofficially for so many years by Public Analysts that
the new Regulations only serve to codify an existing practice. They are
useful, however, in deciding in a few instances, between the somewhat
high tolerances asked for by manufacturers or packers of a few special
foods and the lower limits which it would appear to the analyst are capable
of being reached by care in selection and processing. In one or two cases
a limit is set in the Regulations for immediate adoption with a lower limit
after an interval.
One or two comments on the samples submitted by the Chief Public
Health Inspector during 1961 are called for. One of them serves to illustrate
the amazing sales value attributed to the word 'glucose'. A sample of
boiled sweets described as Extra Glucose Confections was claimed to give
"greatly increased food value", yet the only difference between this
article and an ordinary boiled sweet was the inclusion in the formula of
10 per cent of glucose powder in the usual mixture of sugar and corn syrup.
Since sugar and corn syrup are reduced with the greatest of ease on
digestion to simple sugars having the same energy value as glucose
there was no foundation for this claim
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