§ Phil SawfordTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he has taken to encourage the(a) reduction and (b) removal of additives from food. [166616]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonI am advised by the Food Standards Agency that legislation on food additives is harmonised throughout the European Union. Food additives are only authorised following a rigorous safety assessment by independent scientific experts.
As part of the authorisation process limits are established to restrict the level at which an additive can be added to food. These legal limits are set to ensure that safety levels are not exceeded and that additives are only added at the minimum level necessary to achieve their intended technological function.
When additives are used in food, they must be declared in the list of ingredients, either by name or E number. There are no plans to encourage the removal of additives from food.