§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if any investigations are being made with regard to suspected carcinogenic links with certain traditional methods of bacon curing.
§ Mr. WigginThe independent scientific committees which advise the Government on food safety have been asked to evaluate a study carried out by a scientist in the United States which is said to indicate that nitrite may be carcinogenic when fed in large quantities to rats. The validity of these findings has been questioned and a final interpretation of the results has not yet been reached. There is no evidence to suggest a risk to consumers from the use of nitrite in cured meats, which is strictly controlled by regulations under the Food and Drugs Act, and the expert committees have advised that the continued use of nitrite, which protects against the formation of the toxins which cause botulism, is essential for public safety.
A senior Government scientist has been invited to the United States to review the study and his report will be considered by the expert committees. Its advice and any consequential action arising from it will be made public.