FOOD PRESERVATIVES.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11751, 27 November 1903, Page 5

FOOD PRESERVATIVES.

THE USE OF BORACIC ACID.

A FAVOURABLE REPORT.

United Prets Asaociatio: —By Electric Teldfruph—Copyright.

(Received November 26th, 10.29 p.m. } SYDNEY, November 26.

The Parliamentary Select Committee ap pointed to inquire into tlw use of preservative* in food presented a progress re port dealing with boracic acid and embodying the following conclusions: —

Butter—There can be no question as to the necessity for or harml«s.sness of boracic acid up to 25 grains to the pound of milk. If sufficient care is exercistd in handling and rapidity in distribution, a chemical preservative is unnecessary.

Condensed Milk—With the proper use of sugar for tiie sweetened variety, and sterilisation for the unsweetened, combined with hermetical sealing, a preservative is unnecessary. Concentrated Milk—Thirty-five grains to a pound is necessary.

Table Cream—Eighteen grains to a pound is necessary.

The additions of boracic acid mentioned will cause no injury to health, and should be permitted. The Committee recommends that vendors be compelled to attach a label to various articles, disclosing the nature and quality of the preservative, contained. ' Medical witnesses examined by the Committee declared as a result of extensive use externally and internally by both children and adults, even in large doses extending over considerable periods, they noticed no ill effects whatever. They further expressed the opinion that the high infantile mortality from diarrhoea, which resulted in many cases partially from the use of decomposed milk, could be lessened or prevented by tbe addition of boracio acid. „„,..■,•■..,... A DOCTOR OX BORACIC ACID. : In giving evidence before the Select Committee the other day, Dr. Richard Arthur, assistant surgeon to the Sydney Horoital, and Registrar to the North Shore Hospital, referred at length to the question of the influence of boracio acid on the human system. After quoting Liebrich, Virchow, and other authorities on the subject, he said the evidence aeemed to ba sufficient to prove that* the charge against boracio acid, that it produced degenerative changes in the- kidneys, could not be sustained. Regarding the influence of tha acid on the digestive processes, he said tliat elaborate experiment were entirely opposed to this coticlunion, and, in fact, some of them went to prove that in some cases at least the presence of boracic acid might even accelerate the normal digestive process* of the alimentary tract. Further, he said that one-in-a-thoueand solution* of the acid in milk could leave no irritating effect whatever on the digestive tract. It was justifiable to maintain that the rare Instances of the Injurious effects from boracio acid might, be designated aa caws of idiosyne.ro.cy-, nnd that in this tho acid ranked not only with other foreign substance* and drugs, but with practically most of the common articles of diet. There could always be found individuals who wero affected by the roost harmless and common food pubetanees.

With one pr two doubtful instances, there l»ad been no cases of toxic symptoms recorded in which boracio acid had been used as a preservative for either liquid or solid food. And yet boracic acid had been employed as n. preservative for more than thirty years, and it would be no exiwrgeration to state that it mu*t have been Ingested by millions of individuals during that period. The facts of the case wero tliat it was universally admitted that in largo doses, and especially in concentrated watery solution, applied to an extensive absorbing surface, boracic acid might, and did occasionally, produce marked symptoms. On the other hand, it had been given for weeks and months in watery solution in comparatively large doses without, producing any effect whatever. The doctor further an id that a number of writers had agreed that it. wa* better to have a comparatively germ-free milk, with a slight, proportion of boracic acid in it, than a milk free from nny chemical substance, but swarming with "myriads of micro-organkms. Such milk was far more dangerous to infant life than even that containing a large amount of borncic acid, and it waa practically impossible under the present conditions of milk supply in largo towns to obtain a pure supply in the majority of cases. If this could be done, the enormous Infant mortality which existed during the hot weather in this State would be greatly lessened.

In conclusion Dr. Arthur said that if a definite Mmifc of boracic acid in concentrated milk were fixed, ond if it were obligatory to notify by lahel the presence of the preservative, there would be no valid reason whatever why its us<> should not be permitted. In thte contention he was supported by the majority of the medical authorities who were approached by a Special Commissioner of the "L-ineet" on the subject of preservatives in 1897.

Replying to qnestions Dr. Arthur said in one of the Infants* Homes here, whe-re there were thirty children, aped from six month* to tihre* years, concentrated milk containing boracic acid had been, in uvo for three months without any ill effects. He had given boracic acid by the mouth, but had used it externally in certain cases with good effect. In his opinion, any quantity below 15 and 20 grains in milk a day would not do a child any harm. He did not think tliat 35 grains to the pint or pound was injurious.