§ Mrs. Doris Fisherasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will take steps to forbid the use of sodium polyphosphates and water injections in chickens after they have been killed;
(2) if he will investigate, and make a statement on, the extent to which producers of oven-ready poultry have used sodium polyphosphates and water injections in turkeys ready-prepared for the Christmas trade.
§ Mrs. FennerSome pre-packed poultry is injected with sodium polyphosphate and water although this is not the normal practice with chicken and is very rare with turkeys. It is already an offence under the Food and Drugs Act 1955 to sell food which is not of the nature or quality demanded or to label it in a misleading way. The expert advisory committees of the Ministry and the DHSS have already considered sodium polyphosphates and recommended that they are safe for use in food. Under the Labelling of Food Regulations any ingredients used in the manufacture or preparation of pre-packed food must be listed on the label. The consumer is therefore able, if she wishes, to avoid the purchase of poultry treated with polyphosphates.