Day 014 - 20 Jul 94 - Page 51


     
     1   Q.   You do not need to bother about that.  That is just for
              his Lordship's note.  Those additives, McDonald's use of
     2        which I would have to say, is criticised, are sunset
              yellow, amaranth, sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate,
     3        butylated hydroxyanisole -- have I got the pronunciation
              right?
     4        A.  BHA.
 
     5   Q.   Let us call it BHA.  Butylated hydroxytoluene?
              A.  Or BHT.
     6
         Q.   Carrageenan which sounds very Celtic -- is it?
     7        A.  I think they are from seaweed.
 
     8   Q.   Monosodium glutamate, MSG and potassium bromate.  Can
              I ask you some general questions about additives first?
     9        Into what different categories do these kinds of additives
              fall?  What uses are they put in the manufacture of food?
    10        A.  There is a whole range -- I can give you some
              examples.  They are used as preservatives which I think is
    11        self-explanatory.  Clearly, it is important that food
              should be preserved both from the point of view of the
    12        keeping quality and also, and probably just as important,
              to prevent the development of -- well, the growth and
    13        development of micro organisms that could be dangerous,
              toxic, to humans.
    14
         Q.   Pause there so that we can use a dramatic example.  What
    15        is clostridium botulinum?
              A.  It is a pathogenic bacterium which causes botulism
    16        which can be fatal.
 
    17   Q.   What agent by way of food additive is used to control the
              occurrence of clostridium botulinum in food?
    18        A.  Well, nitrites and nitrates are often used in this
              context.
    19
         Q.   I am going to jump ahead of myself just to pursue this
    20        down to the end of the road.  Is the quantity of nitrate
              or nitrite in food controlled by authority?
    21        A.  Yes, it is.
 
    22   Q.   By which authorities?
              A.  Well, there are regulations issued by the government
    23        of this country and, of course, currently these
              regulations are being subsumed by European legislation,
    24        but there are limits laid down -- well, first of all,
              there are controls on which additives can actually be
    25        used.  Secondly, there may be controls on the amount of
              the additive which can be used.  Thirdly, there may be 
    26        controls on which foods any particular additive can be 
              used in.  These are developed on the basis of advice which 
    27        the government and the European Commission would be given
              by specialist committee on toxology.
    28
         Q.   Are these specialist committees formed of advocates for
    29        the foods industry or the chemical industry?
              A.  They would be drawn from a range of sources, some
    30        would be from academia, some would be from research, some
              might well be from the food industry.

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