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The Breads examined were eight in number, and did not present
any case for observation. The use of alum seems to have died out,
or rather has been put a stop to by the Adulteration Act. The
same remark as regards freedom of adulteration applies to Flour.
I have also examined 16 samples of Butter. In the Quarter
ending Michaelmas, 1875, 67 per cent, of the Butters were adulterated
with fat other than butter-fat, and a caution has been
administered in several cases. As I have remarked on a former
occasion, the Public ought to know that a Butter at one shilling
per pound is an impossibility.
LARDS, three in number, have also been submitted to analysis,
and with perfectly satisfactory results.
Next in importance to Butters are Preserves. These have not
been satisfactory. One sample, No. 137, a Marmalade, was, however,
of excellent quality. Two Jams offered nothing for remark,
except as to the manner in which the fruit had been mashed up
and boiled down. If people would take the trouble sometimes to
wash a spoonful of jam in a tumblerful of water, they would soon
learn to judge of its quality with regard to the kind of fruit, and
the cleanliness or otherwise (generally otherwise) of the manufacture.
At my request, the vendors of other two Jams (labelled respectively
Nos. 136 and 139) were cautioned, as the Jams were carelessly
manufactured and contained a marked quantity of copper,
which, calculated as copper sulphate, gave in No. 136, 1.48 grains
in the pound, and in No. 139, 0.78 grains. As the effects of
copper are cumulative, such jams might prove very injurious to
children.
So-called Sweet-Stuffs have improved beyond all belief since
the complete removal of the duty upon sugar. Some Acid Drops
which I examined were very good. I could wish that Licorice
shared in the general improvement. Specimen No. 48 was feebly
sweet and very hard. Of actual extract it only contained, including
water, 52 percent., the rest consisted of 45 per cent. of potato
starch, 1.14 per cent. of iron-oxide, and a little mineral matter of
other quality. Of course there could be no supposition that the
vendor had manufactured the sample, and he was only informed of
the extraordinary inferiority of the article. Licorice of good quality
is very useful, but it is expensive. Good Licorice cannot be bought
at the price at which this was sold.
Of a sample of Coffee, and of two Mustards, I have only to
remark that they were very good.
Pickles, three in number, were also of the nature and quality
professed.
Two samples of Anchovy Sauce were very different in tasto and
quality. No. 33 was greatly inferior to No. 34. It not only
contained 24.66 per cent. of salt, but more than the usual colouring
matter (iron-oxide), and 0.58 per cent. of sand.