ADULTERANTS IN FOOD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20906, 21 December 1929, Page 19

ADULTERANTS IN FOOD.

TO TUB EDITOR. edm this in the first opportunity I have - ad j replying to Dr M'Kibbin’s, letter on adulterants in food which appeared T ypnr issue for tire I6th inst. As Dr M ivibbin s excuses for food adulteration convey the , idea that he is not .altogether conversant with the regulations fpr which his department is responsible, I trust you will permit-rte to comment bn them. His excuse dor the use of saccharin and some other adulterations would give one the impression that - he lacks the science of brewing and practicability.. He accuses us of being very wide of the mark incur assertions but wheh 'the public reads the list of foods and .their, permitted adulterations they will come to the con- ; elusion, that this Otago Labour : Council is very tnneh-on the right side of that’ mark. Our council apologises for hot having a proper 'appreciation of the purport of some of the regulations, and-we also do likewise for stating that there are only " . adulterants in 47 foods, 40 of the latter being consumed -by children,' On further investigation we find the startling disclosure that there are now 75 permitted/adulterations iu 71 foods,. 46 of the latter, being consumed by children and invalids. Out. of this 46 invalid foods, 23 can contain'arsenic,, lead, chemical colourings,' chemical flavourings, and chemical preservative. Not being able to grasp exactly the purport of the regulalabonj weal* apologise to the Director of Public Hygiene for our carelessness‘in omitting to mention an extra artificial sweetening, a preservative substance, and numerous other adulterations which at the time, alep escaped .notice. • If some of the Permitted poisonoua, 'adulterations are really caused oy the process of manufacture, for the sake of the health of the people, the sooner the fossilised processes are scrapped the better. , It seems difficult to imagine that anyone of Dr M'Kibbin’s standing can state that the old-established commercial usages are responsible for the muddle of the regulations, when he knows perfectly well that permission was granted recently to colour smoked fish artificially with 25 chemical colourings. It would seem that t“* department is shirking its responsibility. To refute the departments assertion that certain str.udards are unattainable, all unions throughout'New Zealand are being requested to collect adulterated and pure foods, along with their retail prices, with instructions to forward them to- the National Council of the New Zealand . Alliance of Labour. In the meantime, the reading matter, on the will be sufficient for comparisons. It will be interesting at any time to bear from the headquarters of the Health Department which foods cannot reach the mentioned unattainable- standards, and what the -standards are that are unattainable. - If the. Government and the Health Department are going to show consideration to antiquated commercial usages for. the benefit, of : food adulterators at the expense of ■ the health of the children, invalids, and the people generally, the 1 -Labour -Party is going to have something to say about the matter. Since Dr M'Kihbin does’ not care to disclose the position, of permitted food adulterations- under his regulations) we hope that you will publish the appended list of permitted adulterations, which may be of interest and service to your readers:— 1. Polished Rice.—Arsenic, lead, talc, glucose, 25 artificial chemical vegetable colours, 12 artificial ■ chemical aniline dyes, and-one artificial Insect dye. 2. Custard Powder.—Lead, 25 artificial chemical vegetable colours, 12 artificial chemical aniline dyes,’ one artificial In.sect dye,, and, 46 artificial chemical flavourings. 3. Cream- of Tartar.—-Arsenic and lead. 4. Cream of. Tatar Substitutes.— ■ Arsenic and lead. : 5. Baking ■ Ppwder.—Arsenic and lead. 6. Coloured -Baking Powder.—Arsenic, lead, .25 . artificial: chemical, .vegetable colours, 12 artificial chemical- aniline dyes, and---one artificial Insect dye. ‘' ■ , V. Malt Extract.—Arsenic : and lead. • B.—Liquid Malt Extract.-—Arsenic and "lead; - : 9.- Bakers’ 1 ' Malt'-. l Extract;-—Arsenic and lead, ’■ : . 10.—Baken’- - - ■ and lead. : Tl;-rralt :Extract' and' Cod 'Llver ‘Oil.Arsenic.and lead.. 12 - Mince Meat.—Artificial chemical "aniline msmark brown colour and artificial chemical aniline roselne' colour, starch and sulphur dioxide, 13. Sausage Meat.—Artificial chemical aniline blsmark brown colour and artificial chemical aniline roselne' .colour, starch and sulphur dioxide. ‘ ■ • - 14. Saveloy Sausage Meat.—Artificial chemical aniline, blsmark- brown colour, and artificial chemical aniline roselne colour, starch aud sulphur , dioxide. "15".—Cooked, Smoked, dr Dried Sausage Meat,—Sulphur dioxide. 36.-Cooked, Smoked, or Dried Brawn. —Sulphur dioxide. ■ .. 17,—Cooked. Smoker, or-. Dried . Potted Meat.—Sulphur dioxide. - ■ . • IS. Cooked .Presesd Meat.—Sulphur • dioxide. . ;• -, " ; 19;. Meat Extracts.-—glycerine; . . , 20. Meat Essence—Glycerine. • ;,;21.- Beat .Juice.; —Glycerine, ; ■" 22,.Meat; paste,—Forty-six. l .,-, artificial chemical, flavourings. _• ..-23.. Gelatine.—-Sulphur.- dioxide: 24, Margarine,—Mineral oils, and. boric ■ add. - - . 25. -Butter.—Boric . add. -25' artificial chemical: vegetable colours, ’ 26. Whey Batter.—Boric acid, 25 artificial chemical vegetable colours. '

'27. Process Butter.—Arsenic, lead, boric acid, sulphur dioxide, water, salicylic acid, artificial chemical blsmark, colour brown, artificial chemical aniline roseine colour, 25 artificial chemical vegetable colours, ten extra artificial chemical aniline dyes and one Insect dye, 46 artificial chemical ■ flavours , and any. other added chemical or vegetable ’ substances. 28. Cheese. Twenty - five different cheinlcal artificial vegetable colours. 29. Skim Milk Cheese.—Do. 30. Cream Cheese. —Do. 31. Cheese Paste.—Do," 32. Cocoa Paste.—Ferric oxide, 46 artificial chemical flavourings. 33. Cocoa Mass.—Do. 34. Cocoa Slab.—Do. 35. Soluble Cocoa.—Do., and added alkali, chemical flavourings. "6. Prepared Cocoa.—Do, and 46 artificial chemical flavourings. 37 Chocolate.—Do., and 46 artificial chemical flavourings, 38. Mustard.—Foreign starch. 39. S Mustard Paste.—Arsenic, lead. 25 artificial chemical vegetable colours, sodium chloride, tartaric acid, vinegar. 40. Sauces ■ and ■ Chutneys.—Arsenic, lead, 46 artificial chemical flavourings, 25 ■artificial chemical vegetable colours, 12 artificial chemical aniline dyes,.-ono artificial Insect dye, and salicylic acid. • 41. Vinegars.—Arsenic, lead, and 40 chemical artificial flavourings, 42. Imitation Vinegars.-—Arsenin, lead, and 46 chemical artificial flavourings. 43. Glucose Syrup.—Arsenic and lead. 44. Pickles.—Arsenic, '■ lead, sulphur dioxide, ,46 chemical articial flavourings, 25 chemical artificial vegetable colours; 12 artipial chemical aniline dyes, one artificial insect dye. j ' 45. Honey.—Dead .and reducing sugar. 46. Confectionery.*—Arsenic lead, drugs, saccharin, glucose, 46 chemical foreign flavourings, 25 artificial chemical vegetable colours, 12 artificial , chemical anlone artificial Insect dye. 4Pastry.—Lead,,46 .artificial chemical flavourings, 25 artificial chemical vegetable dyes, 12 artificial chemical aniline dyes, and one artificial insect dye. 4S, Ice Cream.—so,ooo micro organisms In every .20 drops, 46 artificial chemical flavours, 25 artificial- chemical vegetable colours, 12 articial. chemical'anllino dyes,- one insect dye, and gum tragacantli, carrots, turnips, cabbages, etc; ■ ■ Joes, —50,000 micro organisms in every 20 drops, 25 articial chemical vegetable colours,. 12 artificial chemical aniline dyes, one Insect dye, and 46 chemical flavourings, cabbages, turnips, carrots, etc. V 50. Preserves Fruit.—Sulphur dioxide. 51. Jams and Conserve.—Sulphur dioxide. 52. Marmalade.—Arsenic, leid, ■ glucose and sulphur dioxide. . 53. Mixed Jams. —Sulphur dioxide. ri' Jelly.—Sulphur dioxide. , u 5. Fruit Jelly Crystals.—Arsenic, lead. sulphur, dioxide, tartaric acid, citric acid, .carrots, turnips, cabbages, or any vegetable substances. .

s®‘ Crystals.—Arsenic, lead, 46 ' i art '“°‘ a j chemical flavourings, ,25 artificial chemical vegetable colours, 12 chemical artificial aniline dyes, one artificial Insect dye, sulphur dioxide. 07. Essences and Extracts,—Forty-six chemical flavourings, alcohol, 25 chemical vegetable colours. 12 chemical , aniline dyes, and oijq insect dye. ■ 51* - BMenc * • of ; Lemon.—Alcohol,. 25 artificial, chemical vegetable colours. 12 chemical artificial aniline dye, one artl- ■ nclal Insect dye. 50. Vanilla Essence.—Alcohol, 25 artlflclal chemical vegetable colours, 12 artlflclal chemical aniline dyes, one artificial ’ insect dye, and glycerine.. 60. Vanilla Substitutes.—Alcohol, gly. eerlne. 25 artificial chemical vegetable dyes, and .one . artificial Insect dye. - 61. Fruit Syrups.—Sulphur dioxide, or salicylic acid or»glycerine._ 62. Fruit Juices, —-Sulphur dioxide or salicylic acid, 63. Orange Bitters,—Arsenic, lead, carrots, turnips, cabbage, glycerine or sulphur dioxide, or salicylic, acid, 25 artificial chemical vegetable colours, •12 artificial chemical aniline dyes,, one .artificial Insect ■ dye. ... ; , 64. Sarsaparilla.—Arsenic, lead, carrots, turnips, cabbage, glycerine or sulphur dioxide; or salicylic acid, 25 chemical vegetable colours, 12 chemical aniline .'dyes, one Insect dye. - 65. Non-alcoholic Ginger Bitters;—Same as sarsaparilla,. 66. -.Tonic . Bitters.—Same aa sarsaparilla. . .. . 67. Flavoured Syrups.—Arsenic, lead, carrots’, turnips, cabbie,, etc.; glycerine or, salicylic acid, or ’ sulphur dioxide, acetic acid, vinegar, 25 artificial chemical vegetable colours and one artificial Insect dye, 12 artificial chemical aniline dyes. 68. Artificial Syrups.—Arsenic, lead, 46 artificial chemical- flavourings, acetic acid, vinegar, glycerine or sulphur dioxide, 25 artificial chemical colour*, 12 chemical artificial aniline dyes, and one artificial insect dye. 69. ■ Kon-dutlablo Fermented Beverages. —Arsenic, lead, saccharin; sulphur, dioxide, carrots, turnips, cabbage, 25 artificial chemical vegetable' colours, 12 artificial chemical aniline dyes ■ and one artificial insect dye,- 20 chemical flavours. .’ 70. Flavoured Non-alcohotle Beverages. —Arsenic, ■ lead, eulphur dioxide, carrots, turnips, cabbages,■’ 46 artificial chemical flavourings, 25 artificial chemical vegetable colours,.. 12 artificial chemical aniline dyes, one artificial Insect dye. 71. Ale, Beer, Porter, ■ and Stout.— Arsenic, sulphur, dioxide, added foreign , bltterlng .substances and- hops. —I am, etc., 1 . J- Eobinsojt, Secretary, Otago Labour Council, Trades, Hall," Dunedin.