Jourticil of the Society of Dniry Technology, Vol. 14, No. 2, 1961

SKIMMED MILK WITH NON-MILK FAT REGULATIONS I960

101

STATUTORY INSTRUMENT 1960 No. 2331

Coming into operation: 19th September, 1961

BY P A T R I C K O ’ N E I L L

Secretary, National Dairyman’s Association

These Regulations were made jointly by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Minister of Health on the 12th December, 1960.

To what commodities do the Regulations refer? they refer to ‘Skimmed Milk with Non-Milk Fat’ and to the same product in condensed or dried form. Filled Skimmed Milk is milk from which the milk fat has been removed-probably for sale as butter or cream-vegetable fat has then been added. The new preparation looks like milk, has the consistency of milk and can fairly readily be passed off as whole milk. I t is a nutritious product and no adverse comment can be made against it on those grounds. This filled skimmed milk is a most useful product in areas such as the Far East where there is a serious shortage of ordinary milk and many tons of evaporated milk have to be imported.

To avoid confusion the Regulations can best be considered with in regard to (a) the labelling and advertising of packets or containers of the product and (b) beverages sold by caterers.

(a) Lobelling and Advertising. To enable con- sumers to distinguish filled skimmed milk from whole mi lk extensive provisions are included in the Regulations. They are stringent, for example ( i ) they make it an offence to label or advertise filled skimmed milk in any way which suggests that it is milk; (ii) i t is illegal to sell filled skim to a customer asking for milk or to sell it in any way or with any description which gives the impression that it is milk. Labels on containers have to bear the words ‘skimmed milk with non-fat milk’ (or certain specified alternatives) and also the words ‘unfit for babies’ or ‘not to be used for babies’, except where the kind and amount of fat is specified. In the case of certain foods listed in the schedule to the Order declarations are not required provided the foods conform to the compositional requirements pre- scribed in the particular schedule.

These requirements as to labelling and advertis- ing have been warmly welcomed by all sections of the dairy industry-producers, distributors and manufacturers alike because they make adequate provision to prevent the customer bsing misled into thinking that the filled skim was a dairy product.

(b) Filled Skimmed Milk in beverages. It is in this connection that the Regulations have caused so much concern to the dairy industry. Since 1956 there have been many instances which have made it quite obvious-because of the reduction of sales of liquid milk-that certain caterers were using filled skimmed milk in the preparation of beverages such as tea and coffee. There is no requirement under the existing law to disclose its use to cus- tomers. Strong representations were made to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by the dairy interests and in 1958 and 1959 draft regula- tions were issued for comment. Both of these contained a provision requiring a caterer to disclose the use of filled skimmed milk in any beverage intended for sale for human consumption ‘which by common use is expected to contain milk’. This requirement was acceptabIe to the industry because it was felt that most caterers would prefer to use the genuine article rather than admit to their customers-by notices-that they were being given filled skim.

The Regulations, when finally issued last December, omitted this requirement. The matter was taken up most energetically by the dairy associations and an extremely powerful deputation met the Minister of Agriculture-the Rt. Hon. C. Soames at the end of January. Both Houses of Parliament on the 28th February debated the Regulations and the Government were again pressed to insist that there should be disclosure of the use of filled skim in beverages such as tea and coffee. The Government were, however, unshaken and motions that the Regulations be annulled were defeated. The industry did not want the Regula- tions revoked. They wanted them added to. In the debate in Parliament there was a slight relaxation of the uncompromising attitude of the Minister in January as a Government spokesman said that ‘should the sale of this product develop in such a way that seems to call for other Regulations at a later date-though there is no evidence now that that may be so-the Minister will not be precluded from examining the matter afresh’.

To sum up. The Regulations as far as they go are good and welcomed. Does their omission to

102 Journal of the Society of Dairy Technology, Vol. 14, No. 2, 1961

require disclosure in tea and coffee open the way to the consumers of these beverages, who would not knowingly accept the synthetic product, being

misled into thinking that they are made with fresh milk when the ersatz product has been used ? There lies the danger. Time will provide the answer.

C H E S H I R E S C H O O L OF A G R I C U L T U R E

Dairy Technology Course

SECOND YEAR (FINAL) EXAMINATIONS - 1961

External Examiner: Dr. J . G . Davis

Boland, M. Credit Cooper, A. R. V. Credit Duff, C. Credit Farrow, J. D. Pass Hiscock, F. L. Credit Johnstone, J. A. Lawton, R. Distinction Page, M. H. Credit Quinn, R. T. Pass Rasmussen, P. Pass Roles, D. K. Credit Walton, R. Pass

Credit (highly commended)

MERIT PRIZES 1st ... ... Lawton, R. 2nd ... ... Johnstone, J. A. 3rd ... ... Cooper,A. R.V.

Reaseheath Association Progress Prize-Hiscock,

Project Prize-winner to be announced before F. L.

June, 1961.