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37
Mr. P. W. Coombe, your Food Inspector on the West India and Millwall Docks,
submits the following Report on "reconditioned tins," of which a considerable number
have come under his observation during the year:—
Canned Goods.
(By P. W. Coombe, Food Inspector.)
During the examination of canned goods the Inspector frequently meets the
reconditioned and re-soldered tin.
There has been considerable controversy as to what action should be taken in
dealing with this class of goods.
The vast majority of the canned foods we get to-day are capped on the "Sanitary
Cap" principle, where no solder other than for the side seam is used.
Reconditioned tins are usually found a few in a case. There may be one or
two solder marks on the cap or a small solder mark under the cap flange or rim showing
where the tin has been pierced and re-soldered or the cap flange or rim may be soldered
round or partly round, because the "crimping" machine has failed to turn in and
after processing the tin was found to be a "leaker."
It is sometimes difficult to determine whether the goods are old stock, and in
the course of time have become "blown" and "leaky," as the tin may be of a bright
and rust-free appearance.
On the other hand, newly canned products may turn out defective, due to the
"crimping" machine being defective or through bad processing.
No doubt prior to re-soldering at the cannery the tins receive a second
"processing," but there is no means of knowing whether a tin has blown during
the "in stock" period or at the time of canning.
Any tins showing evidence of re-soldering should, therefore, be treated with
suspicion. There is always the possibility that the "blowing" has been due to
micro-organisms which may have produced toxins of a harmful type. In any case
there is an element of risk in eating the contents of any tins where there is any
suspicion that "blowing" has taken place. In addition, when a tin has been pierced
after blowing to release the gases and been subjected to a re-processing there is doubt
as to whether a sterilising temperature has been employed and micro-organisms may
have survived and developed when conditions became suitable.
While there is always an element of doubt as to the soundness of these tins for
human consumption, I think, in fairness to the importer and the public generally,
such tins should not be allowed to be distributed.
The canning of foodstuffs has been brought to such a high state of efficiency
that the importation of reconditioned tins is quite unnecessary and should not be
permitted.
Meat Importations.
Chilled Beef from the Antipodes.
A number of experimental consignments of chilled beef from both Australia
and New Zealand have arrived in the Port of London.
The consignments from New Zealand have been carried successfully both with
and without the addition of carbonic acid gas to the atmosphere of the chambers.
The voyage from Australia is longer, and though one or two consignments carried
in the ordinary way have arrived in fairly good condition, it appears that the presence
of about 10 per cent. of carbonic acid gas in the chambers is a very great advantage.