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A high percentage of the livers were affected with hydatid cyst—a stage in the life cycle of
the dog tape worm—and the absence of any powers of control in regard to meat and offals not
intended for human consumption presented the danger of the sale of these livers for human consumption,
apart from the obvious objection to the use of this offal for pet food.
The problem had become so acute and the volume of importations reaching such proportions
that in July 1958, all such offals in the City of London were seized and taken before a Justice,
who condemned the same as unfit for human consumption and ordered that they be so disposed of
as to prevent them from being used for human consumption. In this way a measure of control was
established, and shipments were released only on proof as to their disposal other than for human
consumption.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food issued on 6th January 1959 the draft of the
Meat (Staining and Sterilizing) Regulations, 1959, which were to become operative on 1st April
1959. These Regulations provided for the staining or sterilization of all meat, offals, etc. unfit
for human consumption, and for sterilization of all such meat on sale retail. It would be an
offence for any person to have in his possession unstained or unsterilized meat unfit for human
consumption, exceptions being made only for sales from slaughterhouses and knackers' yards to
zoos, menageries, etc. The maximum penalty for offences under the Regulations was a fine of
£100 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, or both.
Arrangements had been made for compliance with the regulations both in the Port and City of
London by the provision of facilities for staining all condemned unsound meat, etc. coming into
the possession of the Corporation as a result of rejection during the normal course of inspection.
In the Port of London, the Port of London Authority provided means for the spraying of
all unfit meat with a specified dye, and at Smithfield Market it has always been the practice for
such meat to be stained before removal by the Contractors.
Before these Regulations came into force,however, they were withdrawn, an action which was
followed by immediate instructions of the Worshipful the Port and City of London Health Committee
that a strong protest be made on behalf of the Corporation.
It is hoped that these very necessary Regulations will be re-issued at the earliest possible
time in order that proper control of this import may be exercised in safeguarding the public health
without interfering with legitimate trade.
TEA IMPORTATION
By Section 1(1) of the Food and Drugs Act 1955 "no person shall add any substance to food,
use any substance as an ingredient in the preparation of food so as (in any case) to render
the food injurious to health, with intent that the food shall be sold for human consumption in that
state".
Section 1(5) provides that "in determining for the purpose of this Act whether an article of
food is injurious to health, regard shall be had not only to the probable effect of that article on
the health of a person consuming it, but also to the probable cumulative effect of articles of substantially
the same composition on the health of a person consuming such articles in ordinary
quantities".
Tea dust, tea fannings and broken leaf teas are regularly examined on importation for the
presence of extraneous matter, i.e. sand, metal chafings etc., and whilst such adulterants are
not necessarily injurious to health, they are "not of the nature, or not of the substance, or not of
the quality" of tea and therefore their presence constitutes an offence under Section 2 of the Act:
'If a person sells to the prejudice .of the purchaser any food or drug which is not of the nature,
or not of the substance, or not of the quality of the food or drug demanded, he shall be
guilty of an offence."
Such instances of adulteration are not often found.
Teas are by their nature and packing susceptible todamage by unsuitable or lengthy storage,
and examination is regularly made for moulds,staleness, contamination arising from oil and water
damage as a result of unsuitable storage or accident, or one of the many other possible hazards
attendant upon transportation and storage.
Analysis for metallic contamination is revealing many instances ofexcessive lead contamination
of Formosa Teas. Although these Teas normally are not used unblended, nevertheless they
are "Articles of food, or an ingredient used in the preparation of food" and by Section 1(1) and
(5) of the Food and Drugs Act 1955 quoted above, any excessive lead content renders them unfit
for human consumption.
Whilst there is no statutory standard limiting the lead content of foods, the Food Standards
Committee reported in 1954 recommending a limit of 10 parts per million in tea. The Public
Analyst has reported lead contamination as high as 140 parts per million in Formosa Teas.
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