The Use of Food Preservatives.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 257, 28 November 1903, Page 3

The Use of Food Preservatives.

AN IMPORTANT REPORT. SYDNEY, Nov. 26. The Parliamentary Select Committee appointed to inquire into preservatives for food presented a progress report dealing with boracic acid embodying the following conclusions : Butter—There can lie no question as to the necessity or harmlessness of use up to 35 grains of boracic acid to the pound. Milk— If there is sufficient care in handling! and rapidity of distribution a chemical preservative is unnecessary Condensed milk : With a proper use of sugar for the sweetened variety and sTerilisation for unsweetened, combined with hermetically sealing a preservative is unnecessary. Concentrated milk : 35 grains to the lb. is necessary. Talble cream : 18 grains to the pound is necessary. Additions of 'boracic acid, it is mentioned, Should bo permitted. The committee recommend that vendors should be compelled to attach a lal/al to the various articles, disclosing the nature and quality of the preservative it contains. Medical witnesses examined by the committee declared that the result of the exten.sive use, 1 externally and internally, both on childjsen and adults, even in large doses extending over considerable periods, had no ill effects whatever. They further expressed their opinion that the high infantile mortality from diarrhoea, which resulted in many cases from partially decomposed milk could or prevented by the addition of Uoracic acid.