Sale of Food and Drugs Act 1875

30Tea to be examined by the Customs on importation

From and after the first clay of January one thousand eight hundred and seventy-six all tea imported as merchandise into and landed at any port in Great Britain or Ireland shall be subject to examination by persons to be appointed by the Commissioners of Customs, subject to the approval of the Treasury, for the inspection and analysis thereof, for which purpose samples may, when deemed necessary by such inspectors, be taken and with all convenient speed be examined by the analysts to be so appointed; and if upon such analysis the same shall be found to be mixed with other substances or exhausted tea, the same shall not be delivered unless with the sanction of the said commissioners, and on such terms and conditions as they shall see fit to direct, either for home consumption or for use as ships stores or for exportation; but if on such inspection and analysis it shall appear that such tea is in the opinion of the analyst unfit for human food, the same shall be forfeited and destroyed or otherwise disposed of in such manner as the said commissioners may direct.