HL Deb 06 June 1972 vol 331 cc299-302WA
LORD BURNTWOOD

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What administrative action has been taken by the Government to conform to Resolution WHA 23.50 of the 23rd World Health Assembly at the plenary meeting of May 21, 1970, on the subject of food additives; and what evaluations have been received from the Director General since that date as to new evidence of toxicity of any specific food additive.

EARL FERRERS

My right honourable friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in conjunction with my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Social Services, has made arrangements to comply fully with the terms of this resolution, and relevant information on certain food additives has accordingly been provided to the Director General of the World Health Organisation. Ministers have, in turn, been informed by the World Health Organisation of action taken by various countries on certain food additives, but have not received any new toxicological evidence from this source.

LORD BURNTWOOD

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will provide a list of known food additives, other than preservatives, used in the manufacture of foodstuffs in the United Kingdom, with special reference to carrier and extraction solvents, stating where in respect of each additive positive testing has been completed to demonstrate acceptable daily intake and the relative absence of long-term toxicity due to the chemical and biological reactivity of these additives.

EARL FERRERS

Under the Solvents in Food Regulations 1967, the following nine carrier solvents used in food in the United Kingdom are specifically controlled; namely, ethyl alcohol, ethyl acetate, diethyl ether, glycerol, glycerol mono-acetate, glycerol di-acetate, glycerol tri-acetate, iso-propyl alcohol and propylene glycol. Specifications are laid down for all these solvents.

The Food Additives and Contaminants Committee and its Pharmacology Panel considered that the available toxicological data for all these substances were adequate for their use in food to be permitted. The Committees requested that further long-term toxicological work should be carried out on iso-propyl alcohol and propylene glycol. This work is still in progress.

Other substances used as carrier solvents, such as water, are excluded from control by the regulations.

There are no regulations under the Food and Drugs Act 1955 specifically controlling the use of extraction solvents. Specific control of this class of additives has not so far been considered necessary since, with good manufacturing practice, extraction solvents would be recovered after use and would not be carried over into the food. However, it is an offence under the Food and Drugs Act 1955 for a food manufacturer to use any substance as an ingredient in the preparation of food for human consumption so as to render its injurious to health. We would not hesitate to take action to prohibit the use of any extraction solvent or other additive if evidence became available that its continued use represented a risk to the health of the consumer.

House adjourned at ten o'clock.