Food Irradiation (Hansard, 28 November 1989)

§ Mr. Matthew Taylor
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the implications for Government policy of the recent European Parliament vote on food irradiation.

§ Mr. Maclean
The vote as such has no implications for Government policy. It is the means by which the Parliament has set out its opinion on the proposal from the Commission. The co-operation procedure provides for the Commission to take a view of the Parliament's opinion and for the Council to seek a common position among the member states.

§ Mr. Matthew Taylor
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what studies have been carried out or are in progress to examine the effects of food irradiation on(a) listeria monocytogenes, (b) pesticide residues and (c) vitamin levels; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Maclean
I refer the hon. Member to the bibliography at Appendix G of the report on the safety and wholesomeness of irradiated foods by the advisory committee on irradiated and novel foods, available in the Library of the House. This refers to a number of studies on vitamin levels in treated foods and to the use of the process to reduce or eliminate pathogenic micro-organisms. So Far as listeria monocytogenes is concerned a further study has been carried out by my Department which may be published in the near future. Further a recent study by Dr. M. Patterson, Queens university, Belfast has been published in "Letters on Applied Microbiology 8(5)" pages 181–184.
The effects of irradiation on pesticide residues were considered by the advisory committee on irradiated and novel foods which concluded that the levels of any radiolytic products of such residues would be negligible. Further information on this sector will be found in the World Health Organisation publication "Consumer Concerns about the Safety of Irradiated Food" (ref WHO/EH E/FOS/89.1).

§ Mr. Matthew Taylor
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the membership of the working party on food irradiation, and indicate which members represent consumer interests, which enforcement agencies, and which food industry interests.

§ Mr. Maclean
The membership of the advisory committee on irradiated and novel foods is as follows. The 189W members did not represent sectoral interests, but were chosen for their expertise in the various specialised branches of science relevant to consideration of the safety and wholesomeness of irradiated food.
Chairman Sir Arnold Burgen MD, FRCP, FRS. Master of Darwin College, University of Cambridge.
Members: Professor J. W. Bridges BSc, PhD. CChem, FRSC, FIBiol, MRCPath, MinstEnvSci. Director of the Robens Institute of Industrial and Environmental Health and Safety, University of Surrey. Professor J. D. Bu'Lock BA, PhD. Head of the Microbial Chemistry Laboratories, University of Manchester Dr. J. C. Gould BSc, MD, FRCPE, FRCPath, FFCM, FIBiol, FRSE. Former Director of the Central Microbiological Laboratories, Edinburgh. ¹Dr. H. Smith PhD, FIBiol. Former Head of the Biology Department, National Radiological Protection Board. Professor J. Hawthorn BSc, PhD, ARCST, CChem, FRSC, FIBiol, FIFST, FRSE. Emeritus Professor of Food Science, University of Strathclyde. Professor W. P. T. James MD, MA, DSc, FRCP, FRCP(Edin). Director of the Rowett Research Institute, Aberdeen. Professor B. E. B. Moseley BSc, PhD. Head of Reading Laboratory, Agriculture and Food Research Council Institute of Food Research, Reading. Dr. A. N. B. Stott MB, ChB, FFOM. Former Chief Medical Officer, United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. Dr. A. J. Swallow PhD, DSc, ScD, CChem, FRSC. Head of the Biophysical Chemistry Division, Paterson Institute, Christie Hospital and Holt Radium Institute Manchester. ²Professor E. D. Wills MA, MSc, PhD, ScD. Late Head of the Department of Biochemistry, St. Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College, London.
Ex Officio Members: Professor A. E. Bender PhD, DSc(Hon), FRSH, FIFST. Emeritus Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics, University of London. (Chairman of the Panel on Novel Foods). Professor P. Turner MD, BSc, FRCP, HonMPS, HonFIBiol. Professor of Clinical Pharmacology, St. Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College, London. (Chairman of the Committee of Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment). Dr. J. E. M. Whitehead MA, MB, FRCPath, DipBact. Former Director of the Public Health Laboratory Service, London (Former Member of the Standing Panel on Hazards from Microbial Contamination of Food).
¹ Until December 1982.
² From August 1983 until April 1985.

§ Mr. Matthew Taylor
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many representations from members of the public he has received in favour of the relaxation of the ban on food irradiation; and how many against.

§ Mr. Maclean
Since the announcement of the Government's decision to take steps to enable consumers to choose the additional protection of irradiated food if they so wish, 34 letters have been received from members of the public either expressing support or seeking further information and 92 letters have expressed concern about aspects of the matter.