PURE FOOD.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1690, 5 March 1913, Page 4

PURE FOOD.

NEW- REGULATIONS ISSUED-

THEIR SCOPE EXPLAINED.

ATTACK ON ADULTERATION,

Regulations designed to' prevent adulteration and other abuses connected with the supply of foodstuffs have been prepared by tho Health Department,' and will bo gazetted this week. The general scope and character of the regulations Were described yesterday by the Hon. If. H. Khodcs (Minister for Public Health) in the course of an interview.

"Varying fqr tho moment the phrase 'a free breakfast table,'" said the Minister, "I would sum up the aim of the Government in these regulations briefly as 'a genuine dinner table.' "Under the provisions of the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, 1908, powers, amongst- ethers, are given to make regulations prescribing tho standard of strength, weight, or quality, of any food; prescribing the mode of. labelling and the matter to bo contained in the labels; prohibiting the additioii of specified substances, or more than defined proportions thereof; and for tho prohibition or allowing of preservative substances, as the case may be. "Up to the present time, regulations as to the standards for foods liave been .made for a comparatively few foodstuffs; and, With Regard to labelling, jams alone have been dealt with.

"The difficulties in the way of fornrmhting a • set of regulations embodying nil the powers of the Act hare been considerable. Not the least of these was the recognition of the fact that ourpopulatioa being a comparatively small one, the adoption' of regulations as to standards and labelling which might have no relationship to those adopted by neighbouring States would only too easily result in an undesired end—the wliole cost involved lin conforming with such regulations being placed by the manufacturer upon New Zealand consumers alone, thus needlessly adding to the cost of living. A Sydney Conferonci. ' "My Department has consequently taken very full advantage of the results of .the deliberations of a Departmental Conference at Sydney on uniform standards for foods and drags, at which the Commonwealth a-iid llie; States of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, and Tasmania were represented. Therefore, while due regard has been had to New Zealand needs, and to the opinions of those - experts and others;,who- have been consulted in tho preparation of these regulations, it will be found'that they are, on general lines, in accord with tho regulations ..recently made bv Australian' States, New South Wales, 'Queensland, and West Australia in particular. ' •"These regulations secure to the t consumer'that lie will get what he asks and pays for. If he asks for coffee, lie is. assured by proper labelling that ho is not.being given coffee with n largo percentage of added chicory. At tho same time, ;if the tastes of tho purchaser— no doubt perverted by the abuse just referred. to—urge him, to prefer coffee and chicory, he can obtain it, but—and a very important' 'but'— the labelling on the tin will require the word 'chicory* to be .unmistakably prominent, and, further* a statement as to tho percentage amount of coffee in the mixture must be displayed; Lime Juice and Vinegar. "The recent pathetic incidents of the Antarctic expedition making reference to tho disease scurvy bring to my mind tho well-known anti-scorbutic—lime juice. In tho light of the standard to govern, future limo juice in New Zealand, it is disquieting to be informed that there is comparatively little genuine lime juico sold in New Zealand, and that it is questionable;, indeed, ,if> some .of tho less scrupulous manufacturers who turn out, I might say, vast quantities of so-called lime juice, ever imported any of the expressed juice of the sound fruit,-from which pure limo ! juice can only be : obtained. These regulations will well pope with anything, approaching a despicable fraud such as that information points to.

"Again, wo all use vinegar; but what has been tho origin of that vinegar? In comparison with tho amount of ,'faked' vinegar ..'sold, a small proportion .is genuine mait vinegar. With tastes confused by the uso of concoctions facetiously described as 'known in the trade .as malt vinegar,' probably few of our people really know what a genuine vinegar 'should taste like. I fear very many purveyors of vinegar must now mend their ways, or doom themselves to selling it in its true colours; labelled, as the regulations require,' 'Imitation vinegar.' No housewife can be deceived by that very expressive word 'Imitation.'

General and Specific Regulations. . ■' "These are but some examples of the effect of the regulations. These are in two parts. Part I comprises general regulations, which require packages of all foods to bear labels setting out specific information. A part of this is a, statement of tho net weight or vojume of 'the contents of the package.. Tho word 'pure' as apulied to foodstuffs lias become almost a by-word; now 'pure' or any word of tho same significance can only bo applied to the genuinely puro article.

"Obviously thera must bo exceptions to nil general rules. Exemptions are therefore hero provided in ' regard, for ' instance, to labelling and statement of weight in certain limited ways. "The use of preservatives, flavouring, and colouring matters are next dealt with, and then general requirements in the preparation and storage of food to protect it from contamination. "Part II contains specific regulations relating to certain foodstuffs, amongst which may be mentioned tho following:— 1' lour, bread, and ineals, cream of tartar, baking powder, infants' food, invalids' food, malt and malt extracts, etc., meat and meat products ■ of various descriptions, gelatine, salad oils, margarine, milk in oil its forms, butter, cheese tea, coffee, cocoa, chocolate, 6pices ami condiments, sauces, vinegar, honey, confectionery, jco cream, jams and fruit products, jelly crystals, essences, cordials and syrups, lime juice, lemon squash, non-excisablo fermented, drinks, nonalcoholic drinks, ale and beer. "A short reference to drugs, more or less in tho nature of a. preliminary to the very difficult task of the Togulation of tho sale of 'secret remedies,' ' concludes Tart

"It will bo seen that what I may call the essential everyday , wants of evervbody are dealt with. Ife will bo time enough to consider less frequently., used foodstuffs or, if I may fay so, luxuries, when wo havo assured ourselves of the genuineness of our basic wants, Tho subjeot even so far as* now dealt with' is ft largo one. I do not wish it to bo thought that, having made these regulations, I am satisfied that enough has been done. This stage is but a beginning. The machinery at the disposal of my Department will, I think, be ample to ensure tho satisfactory enforcement of tliese regulations. Doubtless in that procedure it will be found that the regulations can be bettered. "It. is my intention to have these regulations issued os soon as possible for free distribution, i'u pamphlet form, with a suitable index. "Tho increased cost of living wo must, I think, accept, however regretfully, as an aluiSst self-evident fact. ] am, however, impressed with I he possibilities of these regulations to secure to the payer of today's prices good, genuine value for his money; we no longer leave him to be deceived by practices in 'food-faking' and adulterating which have aimed at making the public believe that articles so cheapened are as good and as wholesome as those higher priced." SOME OF THE NEW PROVISIONS. A WIDE BANGE. As indicated by tho Minister for Public Health, the regulations cover a wide range. It is provided that packages must be clearly labelled with a correct statement as to their contents, and save in specified cases this description is to appear within a panel having a light-col-oured ground, in bold-faced capita) types. A variation from the stated .weight or

volume of any package," not exceeding five per cent, is to lj<? permitted if six packages of the.same description and brand are found to be of or above the stated weight.

One paragraph of the regulations in regard to labelling reads as follows:—No descriptivo matter written on or attached to a package which contains any fcod shall includo any comment on, reference to, or explanation of any statement or label required by these regulations t.) bo written on or attached to any such package if such comment, reference, or explanation directly or by implication contradicts, qualifies,' or modifies any such statement or- the contents of such label.

Brewed ginger-beer, lemonade, and gin-ger-ale are exempted from Clio regulations requiring a statement of trade description and measure of contents, and a number of articles including aerated waters, alcoholic liquors subject to Customs, or excise duty, confectionery in fancy boxes, certain bottled and potted goods, _ infant foods, and food substances supplied hi bulk for resale .aro exempted from bearing a statement of weight. The statements which in most instances are to appear on packages of food are not demauded in tho case of simple uucompounded foodstuffs weighed, counted, or measured in the presence of the purchasers. This applies to 'bread, meat, tea, coffee, cocoa, etc., when packed by tho retailor for ready sale. Elaborate provisions in the regulations govern and restrict the use of preservatives in. food substances and other regulations require the use of proper containers and tho use of clean water in the preparation of foodstuffs. "The Staff of Life." The composition of various food substances is specifically defined. Following is the clause relating to bread:— Bread phall be the porous substance obtained by moistening and kneading flour which conforms with tho standard for flour, with provision for the mechanical separation of tho dough by air or car-bonic-acid gas, properly baked. It shall not contain more than forty-five parts per centum of water in any part of the loaf; it shall' not yield more than two parts per centum of total- ash, nor more than two-tenths of'ono part 'per centum of ash insoluble in acid. It shall not contain any added foreign mineral substance save gait (sodium-chloride); and ten grams of the crmnb'taken from the centre of the loaf shall not contain more acid than is required for the neutralisation of the five, cubic centimeters of decinormal solution of sodium-hydroxide. The Sale of Milk, " Stringent'regulations are provided governing tho sale of condensed milk. 101-. lowing is a sample paragraph:—"There shall be written in. the principal label attached to every package-which contains anv condensed skim or separated milk, tlto words 'Condensed skim-milk, unfit for infants' in bold-faced sans-serif types of not less than twelve points faco measure-, lnent; tho said words shall form the first words of the principal label, 110 other words shall be written on the same line or lines. Additionally, there shall bo written, across the face of the whole of the principal label, in a diagonal line in a transparent red colour, the word •fekimrnilk' in bold-faced sans-serif capital types of not less size than forty-eiglit points faco measurement/' . . , , Other passages in the regulations deal at length with the sale of fresh milk, and prescribe conditions intended to secure cleanliness and freedom, from contamination.