§ Mrs. Joyce Butlerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations have been made to him against the making of regulations permitting the use of nicotine and ascorbic acids in food; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BishopFollowing advice from the Government's expert advisory committees, I am proposing to lay regulations before the House shortly which will specifically permit the use of ascorbic acid and nicotinic acid in food. The existing ban on the use of these acids in raw and unprocessed meat will, however, continue, and I shall be considering the extension of this ban to uncooked processed meat and meat products. Representations have been received suggesting that the use of ascorbic acid and nicotinic acid should not be generally allowed, but the evidence available to me at the moment gives me no grounds for rejecting the advice of the expert advisory committee.
These substances are not prohibited in food generally at the present time, and the proposed regulations, by laying down specifications, will provide additional safeguards for consumers.