CHEESE IN TINFOIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20678, 25 September 1930, Page 12

CHEESE IN TINFOIL.

SUGGESTION OF DANGER. HEALTH DEPARTMENT TESTS. The report from London that chebso wrapped in tinfoil has been found to be contaminated and may be dangerous is receiving the attention of tho Health Department in Auckland. Dr. T. J. Hughes, medical officer of hoalth, said yesterday that no cases of tin poisoning had como under his notice, but tho department was obtaining samples of wrapped cheese for analysis in order to ascertain what amount of tin was present. If the tinfoil used contained other metals bosides tin, tho likelihood of contamination would be increased, particularly if lead were one of tho constituents. Tin was commonly used as a surfacing for other metals which might' cause danger of poisoning. Experience had not shown that it was a source of dangor. All tho metals wero liable to bo gastric irritants, Dr. Hughes said. Tin differed from most in that it had not a cumulative action. Small quantities taken into tho systom did not remain and accumulate until thore was sufficient to cause serious trouble, as was tho caso with lead, for instance. Tho use of lead had to bo carefully watched. Some waters would dissolve lead pipes and lead or solder could not bo use safely whero they would come in contact with foods containing acids. Tho health regulations forbid tho use of a zinc or lead surface "in contact with any moist food. Any container made of tin plate, if soldered, must bo soldered externally, and, if it is lacquered, the lacquer must completely cover tho tinned surface within, the container. • "Any action that tin is likely to oxort will be through its irritating action, upon the lining of the stomach and intestine," § aid Dr. Hughes. "To exert any such action, tin salts would have to'bo present in considerable quantities in the food. Tho known facts show cleariy that such irritant action may take place, but, to bo oxerted, at least one to two grain's of the tin salts to tho pound would have to be present. To produce these symptoms of irritant- poisoning canned foods would have to contain much larger amounts of tin than occur in snch foods as supplied for consumption in tho ordinary way."