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39
Commenting upon the unsatisfactory samples, the Public Control Officer makes the following
observations: -
"Milk (Various). The presence of glass was detected in a bottle of milk supplied to St. Thomas
More Secondary School, and the matter was dealt with by the sending of an official caution.
Cheese. One sample of cream cheese was found to be deficient in milk fat. A cream cheese
should contain at least 50 per cent fat on the whole cheese to justify this description; in the
case concerned the whole milk cheese contained 37 per cent fat. The sample was in fact a whole
milk cheese described by the makers as a "Creamery" cheese, this description having misled the
retailers. In view of the special circumstances an official caution was issued.
Cooked Meat. A pack of pork luncheon meat was analysed and its meat content found to be below
the minimum standard accepted in this country. There is no statutory standard" for luncheon meat,
and the power of deciding a standard, and of maintaining the quality of the article, is in the hands
of the court. A court can decide upon the evidence before it what is a reasonable standard and
current practice would be taken as evidence. In this case there is an agreement between the
manufacturers for a minimum meat content of 80 per cent, and this would be accepted as evidence
of normal trade practice. It was not possible to trace the importers, but enquiries disclosed that
the sample was of old stock. No further action was taken.
Fish and Fish Products. A retailer sold cod when the request was for smoked haddock. At
another shop fried coley was sold when fried cod was ordered. In each case other purchases subsequently
made from the shops were genuine, and the wrong sales were dealt with leniently as
isolated instances.
Fresh Fruit. A multiple firm of greengrocers sold Kazerine apples as "Worcesters",anda verbal
caution was given. Another trader, a newcomer to the district, was cautioned for displaying
Belle de Louvain plums marked "Victorias". "Seedless" mandarins and "seedless" Clementines
were purchased from retailers and found to contain seeds; both these firms were also cautioned.
An official caution was sent to a firm for describing Dutch tomatoes exposed for sale as
"English", other displays being correctly marked. However, proceedings were taken against
this firm for selling Monarch plums as "Victorias", and they were fined a total of £4.0s.0d. with
£2.2s.0d. costs.
Meat and Meat Products. A sample of canned minced steak procured from a trader in the
district was found to be minced steak in gravy, but the amount of gravy was negligible so that it
was decided to take no action.
Sausages, etc. A sample of Sausage Roll was found to contain very little meat. However, a
subsequent sample from the same source proved to be genuine so that no further action was taken.
Vinegar. A sample of vinegar was found deficient in acetic acid; subsequent sampling revealed
genuine vinegar, andno further action was taken."
The Public Control Officer has also furnished the following report upon associated work
under other Acts: -
Labelling of Food Order, 1953. This Order requires prepacked food to be marked with the
name and address, or with the registered trade mark of the packer or labeller. It also requires
such food to be labelled with its common or usual name (if any), and in the case of a compounded
food, with the names of the ingredients in descending order of proportion by weight. Furthermore