Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 6 Mar 2003

Vol. 562 No. 6

Written Answers - Food Additives.

Dinny McGinley

Question:

34 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Health and Children if a survey has been initiated or planned on the use of monosodium glutamate in the preservation or presentation of food sold or served here; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many people are seriously allergic to this particular ingredient in food; and if there are plans to restrict its use or oblige food outlets to clearly state if it is used in their product. [3886/03]

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Mr. T. O'Malley)

Monosodium glutamate has been authorised for use in all member states of the EU under Directive 95/2/EC on food additives other than colours and sweeteners. Its function as a food additive is to enhance flavour: it is not used as a preservative. Food additive uses of MSG include its incorporation into food and its use as a condiment. Directive 95/2/EC has been implemented in Ireland by the European Union (Food Additives other than Colours and Sweeteners) Regulations 2002 (S.I. No. 613 of 2002).

MSG was authorised following a rigorous safety assessment by the EU scientific committee on food. It has also been evaluated by other national and international food safety organisations, including the joint expert committee on food additives of the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organisation and the US Food and Drug Administration. These organisations have all placed MSG in the safest category of food ingredients and have allocated it no specific acceptable daily intake, ADI not specified. A food additive is only categorised as ADI not specified when, on the basis of the available scientific data, the total intake of the substance following consumption of a typical diet will not represent a hazard to health.

While the European Commission carried out a survey of dietary food additive intake in the EU, the results of which were reported in October 2001, MSG was not among the additives surveyed since in a priority setting exercise the Commission decided to exclude additives with ADI not specified allocated by the SCF from the monitoring exercise as these did not represent a hazard to health. Ireland took part in this survey, the Irish estimates of food additive intake being provided by the Irish Universities Nutrition Alliance at the request of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. As MSG is placed in the safest category of food ingredients, the FSAI has no plans for a survey of MSG.

The scientific data on MSG does not support the conclusion that many people are seriously allergic to this particular ingredient in food. Were this the case MSG would not have been approved as a food additive in the EU nor have been allocated an ADI not specified rating. Some individuals are sensitive to the presence of MSG and may have mild and transitory reactions when they eat foods that contain large amounts of MSG such as would be found in heavily flavoured enhanced foods.

The scientific data on MSG also does not support any restrictions on its use. Under the harmonised EU legislation on food additives other than colours and sweeteners, Ireland would have to provide specific justification for a restriction of use for foods placed on the Irish market containing MSG. The FSAI does not consider that there are scientific grounds for such a restriction.

Legislation does require the labelling of additives on pre-packaged foodstuffs. For MSG, the following may appear on the label: flavour enhancer: monosodium glutamate or flavour enhancer E621.

Current legislation does not require food outlets to state if MSG is used in their products nor does the FSAI consider that there are scientific grounds for such a requirement.