HC Deb 05 March 1997 vol 291 cc680-1W
Mr. Hain

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will make a statement about the safety of vitamin B6 supplements; [18267]

(2) if he will ask the Food Advisory Committee to review the safety of vitamin B6 supplements. [18386]

Mrs. Browning

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 20 January 1997,Official Report, column 480. Since then, the secretariat of the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment—COT—has received further data relating to the safety of vitamin B6. This will be considered by the COT at its next meeting. The Food Advisory Committee will consider what, if any, action needs to be taken to ensure that consumers are not put at risk in the light of any further advice from the COT.

Mr. Hain

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he requested the Food Advisory Committee to make an independent assessment of recommendations supplied to it by the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment in regard to the safety of vitamin B6 supplements before issuing its press release on 19 December in relation to nerve damage from the consumption of vitamin B6 supplements. [18382]

Mrs. Browning

The Food Advisory Committee relies upon the toxicological assessments made by the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment and other relevant expert committees in reaching its own independent judgment of any action which may be necessary to ensure the chemical safety of food. In the case of vitamin B6, the FAC was not asked to carry out its own toxicological assessment as this does not form part of its terms of reference.

Mr. Hain

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what reports of peripheral neuropathy in association with the consumption of vitamin B6 supplements at doses of up to 200mg per day were evaluated in the recently completed study carried out by the medical toxicology unit to monitor the safety of dietary supplements and natural remedies. [18385]

Mrs. Browning

The medical toxicology unit study commissioned by this Department on toxicological problems resulting from exposure to traditional medicines and food supplements did not include any reported cases of peripheral neuropathy associated with the consumption of vitamin B6.