1906.] 



Preservatives in Milk. 



297 



pected eventualities. The reasons why all objectionable matter 

 -should be removed are first, because it is a dishonest practice to 

 bale it with the straight, full-grown fleece ; secondly, because it 

 encourages suspicion ; and thirdly, because vegetable matter is 

 -not wool. 



The following circular, dated July nth, 1906, has been 



.addressed by the Local Government Board to local authorities 



under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts : — 



Preservatives Sir,— I am directed by the Local Govern- 

 in Milk. ' ^ 



ment Board to request the attention of the 



Council to the subject of the addition of preservatives to milk. 



A serious objection to the use of preservatives in milk has 

 been pointed out in the report of the Departmental Committee 

 on Preservatives and Colouring Matters in Food, who state 

 that preservatives in milk " may be relied on to protect those 

 •engaged "in the milk traffic ''against the immediate results of 

 neglect of scrupulous cleanliness. Under the influence of these 

 preservatives, milk may be exposed without sensible injury to 

 -conditions which otherwise would render it unsaleable. It may 

 remain sweet to taste and smell and yet have incorporated 

 disease germs of various kinds, whereof the activity may be 

 .suspended for a time by the action of the preservative, but may 

 be resumed before the milk is digested." 



This Committee, after hearing evidence from milk traders, 

 concluded that the addition of a preservative to milk is not 

 necessary for the purposes of the milk trade, even in hot 

 •weather or where the supply of so large a place as London is 

 -concerned, and the Committee recommended that no preserva- 

 tives should be added to milk. 



In making this recommendation the Committee had special 

 regard to evidence received as to two classes of preservative 

 substances which, under various names, are frequently used as 

 preservatives in milk, viz. (i) formalin (a 40 per cent, solution 

 ■of formic aldehyde) and other preparations of formic aldehyde ; 

 and (2) boron preservatives (boric acid, borax, or mixtures of 

 •boric acid and borax). The Committee considered that the 

 .addition to milk of formalin or preparations of formalin, even 

 when the amount which could be detected was minute, was 



