Day 016 - 22 Jul 94 - Page 51


     
     1        A.  Oh, yes.
 
     2   Q.   If something is withdrawn it is then banned, obviously?
              A.  Oh, yes, well, I mean, presumably, in that case new
     3        information has become available and so a decision has
              been made that it would be better to be safe than sorry.
     4
         Q.   Right.
     5
         MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Have you any more about Amaranth?
     6
         MS. STEEL:  I am trying to keep it short.  (To the witness):
     7        With sunset yellow, is it right that allergic reactions
              occur quite frequently or this is one of the ones where
     8        allergic reactions are more frequent?
              A.  I am not sure about this.  I think it may be that
     9        there have been some instances with it, yes, but I should
              explain that there are certain additives where it has been
    10        alleged that there are allergic reactions or, you know,
              children may be hyperactive.  But if there is sound
    11        evidence, then this will be taken into consideration in
              reaching a decision on it by the regulatory authorities.
    12
         Q.   What do you feel about the observations of parents of
    13        hyperactive children, if they feel it is making a
              difference to their child's behaviour or health?  Do you
    14        think that is something that should be taken seriously?
              A.  I do, yes, but of course the regulatory authorities
    15        have the problem of actually getting hard evidence on
              that, and the fact that a mother may happen to think that
    16        her child is allergic or reacts adversely in some way to
              an additive cannot really be taken as evidence on that.
    17
         Q.   But if you say, you know, it might be difficult to ban
    18        something on those grounds, whatever, would it not be
              fairly easy for -- to give an example, could not
    19        McDonald's put a sign in its restaurants which products
              have which additives and make sure it is prominently
    20        displayed so that people who are concerned about that sort
              of thing can make sure they avoid it?
    21        A.  Of course, all that information is provided in the
              publicly available booklets.  I mean, I am pretty sure
    22        that if there is an individual or a mother who is
              concerned about her child because of the history of that
    23        child, then he or she will take the trouble to find out
              about it.
    24
         Q.   Right.
    25        A.  I mean, there is no attempt on the part of McDonald's,
              as I understand it, to hide that information --- 
    26 
         Q.   No, but if ----- 
    27        A.  -- not to give it.
 
    28   Q.   There are two points really:  Sometimes the book, the
              pamphlet, is not always available in stores, so people
    29        would get a problem with that; then at other times, if
              people are in a hurry and they have to look through a big,
    30        long leaflet, that might be difficult for them, might it
              not?

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