§ Mr. Win GriffithsTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will name the brands of apple juice containing high levels of patulin which have been on sale in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. SoamesIt is not the Department's general policy to publish details of the brands of products examined in the course of food surveillance unless there is a particular need to do so. In this case I believe it would not be helpful to publish the brands involved. The evidence we have is that, as with any naturally occurring toxicant, there is likely to be a good deal of variation in contamination levels between batches of apple juice regardless of the producer. Furthermore, the manufacturers involved have now taken steps to avoid a recurrence of the problem.
§ Mr. Win GriffithsTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the danger of(a) cancer and (b) birth defects resulting from consumption of apple juice containing high levels of patulin.
§ Mr. SoamesThere is no evidence linking the consumption of apple juice containing patulin with any cases of cancer or birth defects. However, the Department of Health has advised me that patulin has been shown to be a mutagen in both in vitro and in vivo studies in animals and should be regarded as a potential carcinogen. The 299W Department's committee on toxicity has therefore advised that patulin levels in food should be reduced to the lowest level that is technologically achievable.