§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce legislation to compel manufacturers to give the specific names of food additives on food and drink labels: and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Cledwyn HughesThis is already a legal requirement in a number of cases, and I propose shortly to extend it to artificial sweeteners. I am satisfied, however, that it would not be in the interests of consumers to make it a general rule. I agree with the Food Standards Committee's view that for many additives the generic term, e.g. preservative, antioxidant, emulsifier, conveys more meaning to the average consumer than the chemical name, and the Labelling of Food Regulations, 1967, accordingly permit the use of such generic terms.