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22
Meat Products Canned Soup and Canned Meat (Control and Maximum)
Prices Order, 1946. It was questionable whether this standard would
be held to apply for the purposes of the Food and Drugs Act and the
matter was therefore referred to the Food Executive Officer.
Self-raising flour and baking powder.—In both cases the samples
yielded less available carbon dioxide than the minimum permitted, but
formal samples taken later were found to be satisfactory.
The news of the death of Mr. E. Hinks, Public Analyst,
was received with real regret. He was always so helpful in
dealing with problems under the Food & Drugs Act, that his
loss was very keenly felt.
The appointment of his deputy, Mr. D. D. Moir, M.Sc.,
F.R.I.C., to the post of Public Analyst did much to fill the gap
and on many occasions I have been glad to obtain his advice
on matters regarding foodstuffs apart from ordinary analyses.
MILK.
During the year the following licences were issued under the
Milk (Special Designations) Orders: —
Dealers.
Tuberculin tested 5
Pasteurised 7
Pasteurisers licence 1
Supplementary.
Tuberculin tested 6
Pasteurised 6
Sixty-nine samples of milk were submitted for examination
and in four instances were also examined for the presence of
tubercle bacilli by animal experiment with negative results.
During the year the plate count was discontinued as a
prescribed test for pasteurised milk and the phosphatase test
substituted therefor. As I pointed out in my last report the
plate count was not reliable because of the fact that the test
takes no account of heat resistant organisms whose presence
is of no material significance for the safety or the keeping
quality of the milk. The effectiveness of the phosphatase test
is now well established as showing whether or not milk has
been adequately heat treated, and thereby ensuring that all
pathological organisms have been eliminated.