MANY FOREIGN SUBSTANCES FOUND IN FOODS TESTED

Wanganui Chronicle, 7 September 1950, Page 9

MANY FOREIGN SUBSTANCES FOUND IN FOODS TESTED

Same of the impurities and illegal substances found in foods inspected ’ during the year are outlined in the ’ annual report of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research i tabled in the House of Representatives ; on Friday. Dirt and foreign substances , were found in bread, flour, sugar, sausages and other foods. “Some oi . the materials found were dangerous , and others were merely disgusting,’’ the report stated. “All such instances,” the report , stated, “were evidence of lack of care in handling food which appears to be increasing.” Excessive amounts of sulphur dioxide were found in many samples of sausages and minced meat. Bacon, especially in the Auckland district, frequently contained boric acid in contravention of the regulations. Zinc was several times detected in gm imported in galvanized iron drums. Molten tin used for tinning foods utensils tends to become contaminated with lead derived from solder. In a few instances more than two per cent, of lead was found, but the situation was better than in the previous year. Several carbonated beverages contained salicylic acid, a prohibited preservative. A variety of foods containedartifical colouring substances without the requisite declaration of them on the label. A survey of butchers’ shops by the Department of Health disclosed a number of meat-pickling preparations that contained dangerous not fully labelled as required. A considerable proportion of cream samples examined, particularly in Christchurch, were deficient in fat. Milk shakes in many cases contained less than three per cent, legal minimum of milk fat and frequently contained living coliform bacilli. Arsenic was found in oyster products in much higher amounts than the regulations permit. As it is known that arsenic occurs naturally in certain marine animals, including oysters, further investigation seemed warranted. The position was complicated by the fact that the analyses of the tin plate used for the food cans showed that the surface was not free from arsenic and that undesirable amounts of arsenip in its inorganic forms might be taken up by the canned food. The report also mentions that medicines dispensed by pharmacies to doctors’ prescriptions were analysed and some of the medicines were found not to be as ordered.