GUARANTEED PURE."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15549, 5 March 1914, Page 8

GUARANTEED PURE."

NEW FOOD REGULATIONS.

YEAR OF GRACE ENDED.

IN OPERATION ON APRIL 1

LABELS MUST BE TRUE.

The practical operation of the regulations 1 made last year undei; the Sale of Foods and Drugs Act will commence on April 1. , Generally they require that every package containing foodstuffs for human consump- ' tion must bear a true and accurate descrip- ■ tion of its contents, and many of the regulations are direct prohibitions against the use of injurious processes or ingredients ! in the composition of foods. The regulations were gazetted on March 6, 1913, but under the provisions of the | Act their operation was suspended for a I year to enable merchants and dealers to

dispose of stocks which would not satisfy i the requirements of the new law. They involve the alteration of many attractive designs in the description of goods, and the abandonment of many devices which have been recognised as commercial methods. The whole principle of the regulations is significantly illustrated by the clause which prohibits the application of the description "pure" or any word |of similar significance, to any article of i food, "unless the article is of the prescribed composition, strength, purity, or j quality, and unless it is free from added foreign substances." Manufactured foods are already being sold in Auckland with the new designs of labels, and before long, the grocers' shelves will be stocked with all kinds of goods labelled in the several moderate terms prescribed by the regulations. Correct Descriptions Demanded. Both the nature and the quantity of the contents Of every package must be" clearly stated on its label, in such a manner that there can be no possibility of a wrong impression in any particular being received. Certain sizes of type must be used, varying according to the, nature of the article, up to letters half an inch in length for certain "imitation" foods. Slight variations in quality and volume are permitted, but beyond the specified exceptions, a rigid adherence to the standards is demanded.

Several articles in daily household use arc affected particularly by the regulations- A great deal of table vinegar which has been sold with the description " pure malt vinegar" was actually a composition of acetic acid and water, coloured with caramel. If the manufacture of this fluid is continued, the use of colouring matter will not be allowed, and the colourless product will be sold with a label bearing the words imitation vinegar" in letters nearly a quarter of an inch high. Each of the numerous varieties of vegetable vinegars must also be accompanied by a statement of the materials from which it has been brewed. Real and Artificial Fruit. The use of real fruit in the manufacture of jams, cordials, and similar foods is demanded, and the ingredients comprising the contents must be described on each package. In the case of jams, not more than 20 per cent, of apple-pulp is permitted, and the label most declare the fact when this addition has been made. Raspberry syrup and vinegar must contain not less than 20 per cent, of raspberry juice and not less than 35 per cent, of sugar, and may contain 10 per cent, of glycerine. No foreign colouring matter nor artificial flavouring may be employed to enhance the appearance or taste of the product. Any cordials or syrups which do not comply with these provisions must be labelled " artificial." Not only must the printed matter convey an accurate description, but no design may be employed which might be misleading. For instance, a chemically compounded pineapple cordial must not be given a label bearing an illustration of the pineapple fruit, as the device might suggest that the fruit had been usee? in the manufacture of the cordial. There will, however, be no objection, if ii pictorial representation of the chemist's apparatus is employed as a label device.

Articles in Daily Use. Mixtures of coffee and chicory, both dry and fluid, must contain not less than 50 per cent, of coffee, and wherever the word coffee is used on labels, it must be accompanied by the word chicory in the same size type. Tea may be described as the product of a particular country or district only when the description is true. Milk, cream, butter, and cheese are strictly protected from adulteration. Margarine must be labelled with the name in letters one quarter of an inch square, and ! any vessel used to contain margarine for consumption on the premises, must display a similar description. Neither package nor'vessel may show the words "batter" or "butterine," or any resembling th«m. Alcohol in Medicines. Another important provision relates, to those " patent" medicines, of which alcohol is an ingredient. It requires a plain statement, in cases where a certain proportion of alcohol is contained, of the number of parts per cent, of proof spirit. The label attached to every package containing food, purporting to be invalids' food must include a statement of the ingredients contained in it, on which the claim of special suitability for invalids is based.

Heavy Fines for Breaches. The penalty clause in the Act . prescribes a fine not exceeding £50 for the first offence, and a fine not exceeding £200 for any subsequent offence. It also states that " if any such offence is wilfully committed, the person so committing it is liable to a fine not exceeding £200, or to three months' imprisonment, although it may be a first offence." The administration of the regulations will be a responsibility for the Department of Public Health. Full power is given by the Act for its inspectors to lake samples of food at any time for the purposes of the law. Some difficulty has been experienced by merchants in designing labels to satisfy the regulations, but this can be overcome, so far as the law is concerned, by submitting designs to the district health officer.