HL Deb 19 May 1999 vol 601 cc38-9WA
Lord Jopling

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether it is possible to identify whether imported beef has been implanted with growth promoting hormones, which occur naturally in the animal. [HL2475]

The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Donoughue)

The Draft Report of the European Commission's Working Group on Assessment of Risks of Hormonal Growth Promoters in Cattle with Respect to Risks Arising from Abusive Use and Difficulties of Control, concludes: "As regards the endogenous hormones 17β-estradiaol, progesterone and testosterone, routinely applicable residue examinations cannot distinguish residues resulting from the use of [US] approved implants for animal growth promotion from the endogenously produced hormones".

Lord Jopling

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether there is a higher incidence of naturally occurring hormones in non-implanted bull beef compared to steer beef which has been implanted with those same hormones. [HL2476]

Lord Donoughue

The Draft Report of the European Commission's Working Group on Assessment of Risks of Hormonal Growth Promoters in Cattle with Respect to Risks Arising From Abusive Use and Difficulties of Control, concludes: "The range of endogenous hormones produced by the animals varies very widely, so that it is impossible to establish reliable values for the [naturally occurring concentrations] of these hormones in the tissues of the animals."