HC Deb 20 June 1990 vol 174 cc622-4W
Mr. Cousins

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the recommendations of the Food Advisory Committee in the past year together with the actions taken by him on each recommendation.

Mr. Maclean

In the past year I have announced our acceptance of the Food Advisory Committee's recommendations for stricter controls on colours in food and proposals for legislation are currently in preparation for public comment and notification to the European Commission. I also announced acceptance of committee advice that the use of potassium bromate as a flour improver should no longer be permitted. Regulations prohibiting this use came into effect on 1 April this year. I published and sought comments on the committee's report on old compositional orders and I shall be considering the responses before reaching decisions.

In the area of labelling, I accepted the committee's revised guidelines on the use of "natural" in food labelling and advertising, which were published in June last year. I also accepted its recommendations for detailed controls on the use of certain nutritional claims for which draft legislation is in preparation for public consultation and notification to the European Commission.

At present I am considering advice from the committee on the use of mineral hydrocarbons on cheese, in chewing gum and on food contact materials and on a request for the use of sodium benzoate as a preservative for grey mullet roe. I shall make separate announcements on these matters in due course.