§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has carried out into the health effects of nutrient depletion on long stay patients in hospitals whose diet is mainly cook-chill meals.
§ Mr. FreemanThe recent review of cook-chill and cook-freeze guidelines by an expert group took into account relevant scientific papers and drew upon its expert knowledge. The expert group concluded that, providing the guidelines are followed, food produced by the cook-chill system is as good nutritionally as food from conventional catering.
§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to introduce the temperature regulations recommended in the Social Services Select Committee report on listeria in respect of cook-chill retailed food and cook-chill catered food.
§ Mr. FreemanDraft regulations which embody new storage temperature requirements were issued for consultation on 4 July 1989. We intend to make new regulations later this year.