§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research his Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the food safety aspects of manufacturing practices in the canning industry; and what guidelines his Department issues to the industry. [16985]
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§ Mrs. BrowningIn 1993 the Department funded detailed modelling of heat penetration into cans under different heating environments and heating times. As a result, a number of technical notes to be used for guidance by canneries were published. The Department also funded a review of canning operations which resulted in the book "Guidelines for the Safe Production of Heat Preserved Foods", which was published by the Department of Health in 1994. In 1994–95, the Department commissioned surveillance of the technical expertise and the application of good manufacturing practices in UK canneries. In response to this survey, which was published in 1996, the Department of Health has been in discussion with local authorities to ensure that they have appropriate technical support to enable them to assess the safety of canneries.