BORIC ACID IN BUTTER.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 663, 25 April 1914, Page 2

BORIC ACID IN BUTTER.

BANNED IN AMERICAN MARKET. The strict prohibition agaisißt the uec of preservative in butter enforced by the Federal Food and Drugs Department under the law of the United States recently camed the condemnation o? two consignments of New Zealand butter. The reason given for tne decsion was that it contained "definite traces of boric acid " No finality has yet been reached in the controversy regarding the effect of adding boracic acid to butter as a preservative In the meantime the law of NBW Zealand permits the use of not more than 38 grains per pound, and a certain percentage is allowed in butter manufactured for the Er.lish market. On the otlier hand the American law will not permit the importation of butter containing any preservative other than salt. The big port of Seattle is at present probably the largest American consumer of Australian and New Zealand produce, and it happened that, when the first consignment of 1000 boxes was condemned on arrival on November 15th, there was a great deal of speculation. Colonial butter had been selling at a log , and the withdrawal of this quantity eased the position for a number of "jobbers." A second consignment of 400 boxes was condemned towards the end of January. The dairy companies are now adopting strict precautions to keep the acid out of the produce, ag the slightest tracß of the boric acid detected in butter by the United States analysts leads to condemnation.