asked the Minister for Health if he will specify the regulations, if any, of his Department controlling the use of food additives of an artificial nature designated by the letter `E'; if he will state in what way the use of these additives is monitored for health and safety purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter, indicating the extent of safety in the use of these materials, commenting, in particular, on whether all these materials are permitted in the United States and other member countries of the EC.
Written Answers. - Safety of Food Additives.
61.
All E-additives are regulated in this country. I am forwarding a list of my Department's regulations on food additives, under separate cover. The regulations are enforced by the health boards. Each health board conducts planned food sampling programmes under which different foods are sampled by the environmental health officers and analysed, each week, to monitor compliance with the regulations.
An "E-number" indicates that an additive has been approved for use in the EC by member states. The EC is advised on such matters by its scientific committee for food, a committee of independent, highly qualified persons in fields such as medicine, nutrition, toxicology, biology and chemistry. All member states are represented on the committee.
I am advised on the safety food additives, and on other matters relating to food, by the food advisory committee, a committee of independent experts in areas related to food. These committees examine additives from the point of view of safety and need, taking into account work done by relevant international bodies such as the World Health Organisation.
An additive with an E-number is, by definition, approved for use in all EC member states. The majority of these additives would be approved by the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the World Health Organisation and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, and by various non-EC states throughout the world. Where regulations differ, this may be for reasons such as differing manufacturing practices, technology needs or indeed trade barriers.