Vol. 518 No. 2
90 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to a study presented to a recent conference organised by the Royal College of Physicians on the side effects of excessive menthol consumption; and if he will consider the introduction of risk statements and clear labelling of ingredients on packets of extra strong mints. [11281/00]
I am not aware of the study to which the Deputy refers. The FAO-WHO Joint Expert Committee for Food Additives, JECFA, has evaluated menthol and has set an acceptable daily intake of 0-4mg/kg body weight which, using the 60kg body weight norm, gives an acceptable daily intake of 240mg or 0.24g of menthol. In this light, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, FSAI, has advised me that labelling on packets of mints would not be justified and may only serve to worry consumers unnecessarily. Such labelling would have to be agreed at EU level as it would be contrary to the workings of the internal market.
