COMMISSARIAT DEPARTMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19503, 11 June 1925, Page 7

COMMISSARIAT DEPARTMENT.

PRESERVATIVES IS FOOD. IMPERIAL COMMITTEE PANELS. (From Ou.r Own Correspondent.) LONDON, May 6. During the progress of the Nations’ Food Exhibition, at' Olympia, Dr J. Fenton (Medical Officer of Health for Kensington) delivered a lecture on preservatives in food. He said that their use was particularly objectionable, because it was equivalent to taking down the danger signal without removing the danger. He instanced the use of boric acid in sausages, potted meat, pastes, and so on. It prevented the growth of germs which caused ordinary putrefaction ho said, hut did not inhibit the growth of those germs which caused ptomaine poisoning. Prepared meats containing boric acid, therefore, might appear to the consumer, yet be capable of producing fatal results; whereas, in the absence of preservatives, evidence of putrefaction would be readily detected, and the foodstuffs rejected. It had been shown in medical practice that the administration of 30 grains of boric acid per day would give dyspepsia, headache, abdominal discomfort, and depression. Yet it was not difficult to devise a diet for one day which contained as much as 40 grains of boric acid. Public opinion had resulted in the use of preservatives iq, milk being discontinued. It was, therefore, justifiable to think that it should be possible to eliminate preservatives in other articles of food which did not deteriorate so rapidly. Many good, linns did not use preservatives now. The alternatives were cleanliness and improved methods of storage and transport. IMPERIAL FOOD SUPPLIES. At recent meetings of the Imperial Economic Committee held under the chairmanship of Sir H. Mackinder, evidence has begun to be taken from representatives ot food-producing and marketing interests in the different parts of the Empire. The evidence submitted to the committee at these meetings was given by the following:—Mr John Loyd Cramsic (ox-chairman of the Australian M cat Council), on behalf of the Aus-. tralian meat-producing industry; Mr H. BellIrving (president of the British Columbia Salmon Canncvs’ Association and the Cannery Section of the Canadian Manufacturers’ Association}, on behalf of the British Columbia salmon canning industry; Dr Leak (principal of the Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture at Trinidad), on the subject of fruit production in the West Indies; Mr C. W. Baxter (member of tire Canadian Horticultural Council and general manager ot the Niagara Peninsula Growers, Ltd.), i on behalf of the Canadian axiplc-producing industry. At the last meeting throe panels, consisting of members of the committee, were set up far the detailed discussion of various matters, as follow l —Panel A, to discuss general questions of organisation and related matters; Panel B, to consider matters relating to meat; Panel C, to consider matters relating to _ fruit. These panels will carry out detailed investigations into any complaints made regarding existing difficulties either of producer, distributor, or consumer. They will examine the details of schemes laid before the committee which fall within the scope of their separate functions. They will take such evidence as they consider desirable although, in the case of witnesses wishing to submit evidence on matters which afftet more Gian one panel, such evidence will be taken to the whole committee. The panels will report to the full committee, which will meet from time to time to continue their consideration of the general questions arising out of these terms of reference and to maintain general supervision over the work of the panels, to ensure co-ordina-tion of their separate inquiries. KAYS TREATMENT FOR FOOD. “In ton years’ time we shall be submitting all our food to ultra violet rays,” remarked Dr C. \V. Saleeby, in an address to the Chartered Society of Massage and Medical Gymnastics. The ultra violet rays of sunlight, he added, and certain forms of artificial light not only had a wonderful' curative effect on the body, but also affected food in the same way. Oats and milk, which normally would cause rickets, when submitted to ultra violet rays of light would not cause the disease.