234 



Collection of Samples of Butter. 



1875 to 1899, in Great Britain with regard to the collection and 

 retention of samples of butter. 



In this circular the attention of local authorities is drawn to 

 the fact that samples of butter, alleged to contain water in 

 excess of the proportion indicated by the Board in their 

 " Sale of Butter Regulations, 1902," are frequently received at 

 the Government Laboratory after the lapse of one or two 

 months from the time that the samples were taken, and that 

 subsequently to the date of purchase they have been kept by 

 the inspector in the paper in which they were originally bought. 

 Under these circumstances it is quite impossible for the Govern- 

 ment Laboratory to obtain upon analysis figures representing 

 the amount of water present at the time of purchase, and 

 discrepancies between their results and those of the analysts, 

 on which the charge is raised are inevitable. 



The Board point out that it is very desirable that, so far as 

 may be found practicable, there should be uniformity of pro- 

 cedure in collecting and retaining samples of butter taken 

 under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts, and the following 

 recommendations have been drawn up for the guidance of the 

 local officials employed in this work : — 



1. The quantity to be purchased should not be less than 

 one pound, except that it may be expedient to purchase only 

 half a pound in cases where there is reason to believe that the 

 object of the purchase would be defeated if a greater quantity 

 were demanded. 



2. The division of the sample into three parts should be 

 made as equally as possible, so that the portion reserved by 

 the purchaser may be not less than one-third of the whole. 

 It is desirable that each portion should consist of one piece 

 only. 



3. The portions should not be wrapped in paper, but should 

 be placed, without pressure, in dry and clean screw-capped 

 bottles in such manner that the water present may be retained 

 in the butter. 



4. The screw-capped bottle should be provided with a cork- 

 lined metallic lid. The mouth should be as nearly as possible 

 the full width of the bottle, and the cork lining of the lid should 

 be firmly screwed down against the edge of the bottle. 



