The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SATTLER. FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 1914. PURE FOOD.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 87, 3 April 1914, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SATTLER. FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 1914. PURE FOOD.

It is, perhaps, as well for the public to understand that the regulations under the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, prescribing the conditions under which tinned, potted, bottled, and packet foodstuffs shall be labelled for presentation to the public, came into active operation on the first day of the present month. The regulations really

•nine into force a year ago, but a rear's grace was allowed manufactures, merchants, and retailers for quiting stocks on hand or ordered for ntport prior to the gazetting of the •egulations. Henceforth, however, 11 foodstuffs must be clearly and acurately labelled, the penalties for 'readies being sufficiently heavy to cter deliberate wifringements. The rst offence incurs "liability to a fine f £SO, while the maximum penalty or subsequent breaches is £2oo'. The tct specifies, however, that even in he case of a first offence, if it bo ill'ullv committed, the offender shall e liable to a fine of £2OO, or to three lonths' imprisonment. This is certain-: • pretty heavy, and it would be well >r retailers to make themselves fully ignisant with the facts, so that theyi lay be careful that thev do not obtain ■om wholesale houses parcels of oods which may land them in seri-! is trouble. Under the new regulaons the word "pure l ,'' so often seen j n attractively "got up" foods, is I gidly prohibited, except where the j •tide within the packet, tin, or bote is pure in fact. The addition of a i reservative has to lie clearly stated | i bold lettering, as must the presnee of colouring or flavouring mat>r. The regulations are comprehenve, applying practically to everyling in the shape of food and drink, ) that the public may idv n;>m fie j in within the jar being true to the bel, and know whether the cordial i tho bottle and the coffee in the ic.ket is tho genuine artido or an igeiiious imitation. Many merchants

who have been interviewed by pressmen in various parts of the country, are of opinion that the new regulations will protect the public against faked foods and will help forward the sale of the genuine article, and those manufacturers who are in the habit of putting up sound and honest goods will undoubtedly benefit, it is practically certain that people will not purchase stuff that is condemned by its own label. It is generally admitted that the faking of foodstuffs has been going on in almost every department of food preparation to a very considerable extent, but both wholesale and retail houses now consider that, under the new regulations, this sort of thing will be nearly impossible. At the same time some merchants express the opinion that the year of grace given has not been long enough to quit the stocks of goods, which, under the new regulations will become practically unsaleable, and it is also pointed out that with regard to the preservative restrictions many of the things now tabooed are absolutely necessary for the preservation of food. Of course no drastic measure of this nature could possibly come into force without some inequalities being discovered, but on the whole the public must benefit and honest vendors will not have serious cause for complaint.