View report page

41
CONDENSED MILK.
During December a consignment of 1,000 cases of condensed milk from Genoa was
landed in the London Dock. On inspection, it was found that practically every tin
was "blown" and the contents were in a state of active fermentation. The whole
consignment was seized as unfit for human food. A sample of the milk was sent to
Dr. H. B. Newham for information as to the organism at work in the milk, especially
in view of the fact that the gases freely given off were sour, but not very disgusting.
He reported as follows :—
"On opening a tin of this milk it was found to be of a somewhat yellow
colour and of more or less solid consistency, very like butter. Bubbles of gas
were seen on the surface, and the milk gave off an objectionable smell somewhat
like rancid butter. The milk was inoculated on to some eight different media,
and from the same I was able to isolate a large coccus. This tended to form
sarcinae and was in pure culture. No other micro-organisms or yeasts were to he
detected though they were carefully sought for. In addition, I fed a white rat
on the milk but it has shown no signs of ill-health. I am of the opinion that
the cause of the decomposition of the milk is due to the presence of this sarcina.
I was unable to identify for certain the actual species of sarcina involved, but in
all probability it is sarcina alba.
H. B. NEWHAM."
The brokers for the goods wrote:— "We are informed that many parcels of
Italian milk, which is liable to thicken very quickly as this has done, have been used by
manufacturers, and at the present time, owing to the scarcity of dried milk powder, the
goods referred to in your letter would be in good demand.
This is true of preserved milk in which the thickening is due to caramelising of
sugar, but not in case of decomposition due to micro-organisms.
Your Medical Officer declined to sanction the use of the milk for manufacturing
purposes, or to permit shipment abroad.
Seeing that the organism in this case was a comparatively harmless one, the goods,
which weighed about 25 tons, were eventually released, under a guarantee, to be used
for pig feeding, the Medical Officer of Health of the district to which they were taken
being informed of the facts.