Day 039 - 20 Oct 94 - Page 29


     
     1        BHA, indeed, my reference is 53 and 54.
     2
     3   Q.   All I am saying, as Mr. Morris asked you questions, if you
     4        want to draw my attention to other direct human evidence
     5        apart from those matters I have just referred to, please
     6        do.
     7        A.  May I now do that other than in the context of a
     8        question?
     9
    10   MR. MORRIS:  I have not asked a question yet.
    11
    12   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  It is up to Mr. Morris.
    13
    14   MR. MORRIS:  Do you want to go into it in the way you want to?
    15        A.  The only observation I thought worth making at this
    16        stage on direct evidence of adverse effects in humans is
    17        that the papers I have cited here deal primarily with
    18        dermitological effects, but amongst the reports received by
    19        the Hyperactive Children Support Group there are frequent
    20        references to BHA and BHT and, unlike nitrate or nitrite,
    21        it is much more straightforward to provide clear evidence
    22        that these compounds are capable of triggering
    23        hyperactivity, particularly as many manufacturers responded
    24        to criticisms of BHA and BHT in the late 80s by examining
    25        their use of these materials.  They concluded that in many
    26        cases they did not need to use BHA and BHT as an additive
    27        in their frying oils to prevent rancidity.  If they had
    28        appropriate control of stock, of frying materials,
    29        particularly of the frying oils, they could do without it.
    30
    31        Consequently, what happened is, from about 1988 onwards, it
    32        became relatively straightforward to obtain products like
    33        crisps that were fried in oils that did not contain BHA and
    34        BHT.  So, you had BHA and BHT free crisps as well as
    35        products that did contain them, and that made it much more
    36        straightforward for parents to test whether or not their
    37        children reacted adversely to those particular compounds,
    38        since that would be the only difference between competing
    39        crisp products.
    40
    41   Q.   Right.  Just something that has crossed my mind there; the
    42        lack of need for BHA and BHT would be particularly obvious
    43        if it was a fast moving line, would it?
    44        A.  Yes, BHA and BHT are used to inhibit and slow down the
    45        rate at which oils and fats oxidize and become rancid.
    46        Now, if you use in your frying or cooking the oldest oil
    47        from your stock and have proper stock control and change
    48        the frying oils before they become rancid, then you can
    49        substantially reduce and, indeed, in many cases, eliminate
    50        any reliance on those antioxidants. 
    51 
    52        When I first made that argument in the mid-80s, I was told 
    53        that it was vital to continue using antioxidants BHA and
    54        BHT because rancid oils are themselves toxic.  When
    55        I investigated that matter I came to the conclusion that
    56        rancid oils may indeed be toxic, but they become
    57        unpalatable long before they become toxic.  Therefore,
    58        I did not find the argument for the use of BHA and BHT
    59        convincing.
    60

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