§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has as to which foods aluminium is added and for what purpose; and if he will make a statement regarding the necessity for, and safety of, aluminium food additives.
§ Mr. RyderThe Colouring Matter in Food Regulations 1973 (as amended) permit the use of aluminium for the external colouring of dragees and for the decoration of sugar-coated flour confectionery only. In its report on these regulations the food advisory committee recommended that it should be made clear in future regulations that permission to use aluminium, silver and gold on dragees extends only to the traditional cake decoration dragees. The Government are currently considering the results of consultations on the report.
Medical advisers in the Department of Health have advised that the regular consumption of larger aluminium-coated confectionery is undesirable because this may lead to an intake of aluminium by children in excess of the provisional tolerable weekly intake recently recommended by the joint FAO/WHO expert committee on food additives.