Day 016 - 22 Jul 94 - Page 35


     
     1        expressed on pages 59 and 60.
 
     2   Q.   Those products listed would basically be colourless
              because they are more or less sugar?
     3        A.  Well, it would certainly be the case with boiled
              sweets -- well, it would be sugar there; with ice lollies
     4        there would be a fair amount of water in them.
 
     5   Q.   Also sugar?
              A.  Yes, there would be.
     6
         Q.   So this body that you are quoting is saying that we should
     7        add colouring to products such as these?
              A.  No.  What they were doing there was simply giving an
     8        explanation of the reasoning at that time that would apply
              to the use of colours in foods and, as I say, that was in
     9        1979.
 
    10   Q.   Right.
              A.  Whereas I think the more recent position would be that
    11        expressed by the EC, and again this relates to food
              additives generally, but you can see there are four
    12        points, ABC and D, on pages 59 and 60.
 
    13   Q.   Under D, do you think that it is a good idea to use
              colourings for products such as that?
    14        A.  To be honest, I do not have any strong views on it.
 
    15   Q.   I think you told us previously that sugar is basically
              empty calories; there are no other nutrients in it or
    16        perhaps, if you have it, it is somewhere in your
              statement?
    17        A.  Again I agree with that.
 
    18   Q.   So, you are adding colour to things like that, then we are
              basically trying to encourage people to eat something that
    19        is more or less worthless?
              A.  Well, or making them more attractive.  I am not saying
    20        that sugar is worthless.  It is, of course, a source of
              calories.  These products here are also a source of
    21        enjoyment and provided one does not eat them excessively,
              then I see no objection to them.
    22
         Q.   But what it seems to be saying here is that people would
    23        eat them less if they did not have the colouring in them
              because they would not find them so attractive?
    24        A.  Maybe, yes.
 
    25   MR. MORRIS:  Just on the subject of making foods more
              attractive, is that because it is accepted in the 
    26        population that people will want their food to be 
              attractive? 
    27        A.  Yes, I think that is fair comment.
 
    28   Q.   Yes, OK.  So companies such as McDonald's have a right to
              that?
    29        A.  That is allowed for in the way in which the
              legislation in additives is framed.
    30
         Q.   So do McDonald's use that then, they use additives to make

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