§ Mr. CouchmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will specify the various considerations which led the Health education authority booklet, "Enjoy Healthy Eating", to advise caution in the consumption of dried fruit in order to avoid the harmful effects on teeth, and to encourage the consumption of fruit with no reference to its effect on teeth;
(2) what was the basis of tests carried out to determine the cariogenicity of the various foods, drinks and snacks referred to an pages 19 to 21 of the Health Education Authority's booklet.
§ Mr. Dorrell[holding answer 13 December 1991]: The advice provided in the Health Education Authority booklet is based on the expert advice of the Committee on the Medical Aspects of Food Policy. The COMA report "Dietary Sugars and Human Disease" (1989) stated that the experience of caries was positively related to the amount of non-milk extrinsic sugars in the diet and the frequency of their consumption.
In order to reduce the risk of dental caries COMA recommended that consumption of NME sugars by the population should be decreased. The food items for which the HEA advised caution in consumption, including dried fruits, contain NME sugars. Epidemiological evidence suggests that fresh fruit, as eaten by humans, appears to be of low cariogenicity.
The recommendations made by COMA have taken account of available scientific evidence as explained in the dietary sugar report. The report is available in the Library.