THAT SAUSAGE

Evening Post, Volume XLVIII, Issue 131, 1 December 1894, Page 1 (Supplement)

THAT SAUSAGE

• This toothsome, occasionally highly spiced article of bread fast- time and evening meal consumption is, apparently, deserving scientific enquiry in this colony a 9 regaad its component ingredients. Almost every one outside the vegetarian feedei 1 pure au< simple, knows that the composition au< taste of this article of diet is decidedh varions, aud sometimes mjt wholly att.iac tive to the palate ; sometimes not particularly nutritous, and perchance its inheron weakness iv flesh concealed by a too lavisl supremacy of pungent condiments. £ scientific light has been throwD on thl article of food consumption by a Britifl official, Professor Stokes, the Public Analyst for the large parish of Hamstead. Ii his annual report to the Vestry of tha parish, Professor Stokes, under the heading " Sausagec," writes as follows: —"^ sample bought from a street stall was fount to consist of — Bread, eix-sevenths ; fat two-tenths, and one-tenth by weight o: ileshmeat, with a little seasoning and f little vegetable colouring matter. Thii last was added to cover the absence of meat Such sausages are sold in other districts oi London justj ust now. Till we get, ' ' continues th< Professor, "legal definition of a 'sausage, it is doubtful whether the Food and Drugs Act will touch the vendors of such convictions." Playing on Shakespeare 1 ! phrase, She vendor may well say what ar intolerable quantity of bread for such £ poor pennyworth of fle^h ! With such s plentiful supply of meat of various kinds as is provided for the consumption of New Zealand communities (a consumption, by the way, which, is perhaps, too largely indulged, -a especially by the young), we dc not suppose it would be possible to palm off, on even a too credulous public, here an article so nearly destitute of what is believed to be, or ought to be, the principle constituent of the sausage. At the same time, it would be a public boon if some analyses were made of this article of food, as well as of many others of general consumption. There are existing various Acts of our Parliament for preventing adulteration of foods or drugs, including meal, flour, liquors, milk, butter, tea, cocoa, wine, spirits, vinegar, etc., and also for the prevention of " blowing or spouting of meat " — a butcher's trick, we believe.. These Acts number no fewer than seven, passed mainly from 1880 to 1891. By an Act of 1883, Section 21, the Governor may preprescribe the standard strength, weight, "quality or quantity " of any article of food or of any drug, and by a later Act, of 1886, may provide for the inspection before tho sale of any meat and " other articles of food." We began with the sausage, and end with it. In connection with the two la«t - cited clauses, it ' seoms desirable, considering tho varied range of quality which this article present?, that examples should be obtained by authorised persons, aiid subjected to analysis for the public protection. Aucieut meat disguised by sttoiig; condiments or " colouring " matter, wliich has no business to bo thetv, should bo guarded aguiu*t just as much as a too great preponderance of stale bread bhouldbo prevented, ai damaging to what should be the .standard quality of a good and wholesome sausage.