§ Joan RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the advice of the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, issued in MAFF News Release 83/97 and in MAFF Food Safety Information Bulletin December 1998, on preparation of fruit and vegetables for small children, has been revoked; and what his Department's policy is on the advice of the Food Standards Agency that fruit and vegetables do not need to be peeled before being given to young children in order to reduce pesticide residues. [714941]
§ Ms BlearsThe Food Standards Agency (FSA) has advised that washing or peeling fruit and vegetables is not required as a protection against pesticide residues (issued on the FSA's website,www.food.gov.uk, on 26 March 2002). However, the FSA continues to advise that it is sensible to wash fruit and vegetables before eating for reasons of general food hygiene.
This follows the FSA's request to the Advisory Committee on Pesticides (ACP) to reconsider the then Deputy Chief Medical Officer's (CMO) advice to consumers about washing and peeling fruit and vegetables in relation to pesticide residues. The ACP assured the Agency and the Department that there are no active substances currently in use where an assumption about the need for washing and peeling was made as part of their approval. The ACP concluded that washing or peeling fruit and vegetables is not required as a protection against pesticide residues and this effectively supersedes the old advice.
The FSA's advice is that when pesticide residues are found in fruit and vegetables, in the vast majority of cases they do not give rise to any health concerns. Where, very occasionally a residue is found which could lead to the 357W acceptable daily intake for the pesticide concerned being exceeded the FSA demands immediate action to remove that risk.