BREAD TEST BY WEIGHT UNFAIR, SAYS COUNSEL

Northern Advocate, 29 November 1937, Page 8

BREAD TEST BY WEIGHT UNFAIR, SAYS COUNSEL

A claim that, owing to the absorption of moisture content which takes place during the baking process, the present method of testing bread by weight was unfair, was made by counsel at the Whangarei Police Court today.

Mr R. K. Trimmer entered pleas of guilty on behalf of Whangarei Bakeries. R. V. Davidson and Ronald Frederick Hall, the last-named of Hikurangi. who were each charged with selling or causing to bfc sold, bread short of the weight demanded.

Mr C. P. Collins, inspector of weights and measures, said that in 13 loaves taken from Whangarei Bakeries, the average weight deficiency was found to be slightly over 3oz. per loaf, or about 45 per cent.

Sandwich loaves purchased from Davidson, had shown a deficiency of about 4 per cent., the baker saying that he scaled off sandwich loaves in order that they might fit into the tin.

On a visit to Hikurangi, Mr G. A. C. Adler said he had ascertained that the average shortage in bread purchased from Hall was 3oz. in every 41b. loaf. •Hall had been convicted in 1936 for the same offence. Slow Much Water Lost? “The question of the weight of bread is exercising the minds of the leaders of the baking industry throughout the world," Mr Trimmer said, quoting from the October issue of the “New Zealand Baker and Confectioner," to prove his point. It was impossible to gauge the amount of water which was lost during the time the bread was in the oven. Laboratory tests had been taken to show that loaves containing identical proportions of -the essential solids—flour, yeast, etc. —had come out of the ■ oven at varying weights, according to | the time of baking or to the position of i the loaves in the batch. The weight of solids, containing the nutritive value, however, remained unaltered, the discrepancy being caused by varying | losses in the water content.

And yet. under the present misleading and unfair test by weight, one loaf would be'legal and the other illegal.. Judgment of weight by solid content, Mr Trimmer claimed, would be a much better criterion ns to whether or not the customer was receiving value in his purchase. Mr Trimmer also contended that, in the event of an assistant, on an inquiry being; made for a 41b. loaf, replying that there were none in stock, but that large leaves were available, no prosecution could be taken.

Cld-fashioned Oven

With reference to the case against Hall. Mr Trimmer said that defendant had been leasing an old-fashioned oven, and working under the greatest difficulties.

However, a brand new oven was now installed, and there should be little trouble in the future, although if was beyond human ability, even with the most up-to-date oven, to guarantee the production of 100 per cent, standard loaf all the time. A baker could only do his best.

The inspector raid that the procedure for weighing bread had been in force for 20 years. The Sale of Food and Drugs Act specified that any loaf over 31bs. 40z.. was to be regarded as a 41b. loaf, and the same legislation also limited the water content in a loaf.

Moisture was an essential part of bread, in the same way ns it was of potatoes, ho claimed. Over a number oi years, some of the biggest bakers had experienced no trouble in complying with the weight regulations. “If bakers consider that the present system of weighing is unfair—and it does seem that weighing on solid content would bo more reasonable—they should make representations in the proper quarters,” said Mr G. N. Morris, S.M.

Whangarei Bakeries and Davidson were each fined £1 and costs ID/-, and Hall, by virtue of his being a second offender. £2/10/- and 10/- costs.