Day 016 - 22 Jul 94 - Page 57


     
     1
         Q.   How can they be satisfied if they have doubts?
     2        A.  Well, that is the way the system works and, as far as
              I know, it has never created problems in the past.
     3        I mean, it is one thing to give it a clean bill of health
              and say:  "OK, we have looked at it thoroughly and we are
     4        satisfied that everything is OK".  It may be then that
              some more evidence arises which causes them to look at
     5        this again.  Really they are only being very, very
              cautious.
     6
         Q.   Monosodium glutamate does not have an E number, does it?
     7        A.  No, I do not think it has.  The reason for that is
              that glutamate, that is the bit without the sodium, is a
     8        natural constituent in the body anyway.  It is also a
              natural constituent of many common foods.
     9
         Q.   If an additive has not got an E number -- do they not get
    10        given E numbers when the EC is happy about their use?
              A.  Yes, eventually they -----
    11
         MR. JUSTICE BELL:  But this will be an additive by the
    12        definition you have given it?
              A.  Yes, it is.  On this one I cannot say why it has not
    13        got -- I cannot say categorically why it has not got an E
              number, but I think this one comes into a special category
    14        where there is not really very much concern because of the
              fact that it is normally, it is a normal metabolite in the
    15        body and there are huge amounts present in a number of
              normal foods.  I have given you the example there, that
    16        tomatoes, 8 million tonnes of tomatoes, contain about
              14,000 tonnes of MSG.
    17
         MS. STEEL:  We have salts occurring naturally in foods, but
    18        that does that mean that salt is automatically good for
              you, full stop?
    19
         MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Are you saying monosodium glutamate is good
    20        for you or just that they are satisfied it does not do any
              harm?
    21        A.  They are satisfied because it has been a normal part
              of the diet or has been a constituent of normal foods that
    22        have been around for a long, long time.
 
    23   MS. STEEL:  So has salt and there are concerns about the links
              between salt and high blood pressure?
    24        A.  I do not think that is quite the same thing, because
              salt, I think, would never have been included in the same
    25        levels, in the same amounts, in the diet as something like
              tomatoes.  But again I can assure you that, apart from 
    26        that, the whole question of monosodium glutamate has been 
              subjected to thorough evaluation.  I am just pointing out 
    27        to you these facts as additional evidence which reinforces
              the view that they are safe.  I mean, after all, if we are
    28        going to get worried about the normal constituents which
              occur in the body, then really we are being ultra,
    29        ultra-cautious.
 
    30   Q.   We are concerned about normal constituents which occur in
              the body, are we not?  As I say, salt occurs in the body?

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