FAKED FOODS

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 77, 1 April 1933, Page 14

FAKED FOODS

ANALYSTS' DISCLOSURES

Some curious mixtures of a sophisticated'character were discovered by the analysts of the' British Ministry of Health. Of 312 samples of bread analysed, however, it was found that all . were genuine. But in other, directions some extraordinary examples, of food: adulteration were' discovered. ,-For example:— ' Two tins of "table cream" were mixtures .of ■ starch and sugar. One sample of jam contained fibrous material, string, and packing. : ■ . . One'samplel of beer contained traces of arsenic, ■ and. arsenic was .also ; found 'in two samples of black beer. In ten samples of cream buns, cream cakes, and cream,doughnuts, the "cream" was wholly or partly vegetable fat. Thirty-five samples of confectionery were reported to contain exces? sulphur dioxide, and the presence of arsenic was reported in six cases, talc in four, and calk in two,- ' •■•■ • -."Cream toffee" labelled as manufactured From- cane sugar ■ and pure butter contained , neither cream. nor butter. Two samples of. sugar were adulterated with" salt and: sand respectively. Tablets sold as digestive tablets possessed rfo'digestive'properties. ■ " . . On the '-other .hand samples numbering 6324 foods and drugs, out of a total of 136,167 -samples taken., were reported as adulterated or not- up to standard, being 4.6 per cent, of the number examined. This.was the lowest percentage recorded. The term "ice cream," the report states, is sometimes misleading. Several samples tested were reported to contain no milk fat other than that derived from condensed milk, while a sample 'labelled "extra cream ice" contained only 2 /per cent, of fat. _' ■ , _ Egg powder was found to consist mainly of coloured baking powder with little or no egg,'while a sample described as "a perfect substitute for egg" was reported, ns being a mixture of starch, bicarbonate of ;soda, and tartaric acid or a. tartrate, coloured and flavoured. , : Of samples of milk analysed, the. number reported to be adulterated was 0.4 per cent. Dilution with water was traced in 100 samples of brandy,' gin, rum, or whisky. Some ammoniated' quinine tablets were found to be almost devoid of ammonia.