Day 016 - 22 Jul 94 - Page 54


     
     1   Q.   Are you aware of whether there are any concerns about the
              health risks to young children from these additives?
     2        A.  No, I am not aware there would be any concern about
              that at all because these would be -- these are foods,
     3        these are generally available foods and, of course, in the
              normal home they could be mashed up or, you know, used in
     4        the diet of children of a very young age and nobody, to my
              mind, is concerned about that aspect of it at all.
     5
         Q.   Are you able to say there are no definitely no concerns
     6        about health in relation to giving these -----
              A.  Again it depends who you are referring to.  My
     7        understanding is there is not a concern amongst the
              regulatory authorities.
     8
         Q.   Not at all?
     9        A.  Not that I am aware of.
 
    10   Q.   Going on to nitrates, you have said that the SCF is,
              understandably, cautious about the use of nitrates.
    11        A.  Yes, this is a topic which has been subject to fairly
              endless debate about the pros and cons, yes.
    12
         Q.   So if there is concern about this, why is it not banned?
    13        A.  Because it is a matter of weighing up the advantages
              against the disadvantages.  Again, as we covered a couple
    14        of days ago, it has been established that it is very
              effective as a preventative against clostridium botulinum
    15        which is the pathogenic organism responsible for
              botulism.
    16
              On the other hand, as you will see on the top of page 72,
    17        when we looked at the levels that there are in the typical
              diets of vegans and of lacto over vegetarians, they
    18        actually consume much higher levels than are found in the
              diet of omnivores.  I mean, I am not aware of any
    19        evidence.
 
    20   Q.   Are you relying on this study?
              A.  Oh, this is a thorough study conducted by the Ministry
    21        of Agriculture.
 
    22   Q.   Can we have a copy then, please?
              A.  Well, we can arrange for one to be made available,
    23        yes.
 
    24   Q.   Of course, if there are a lot nitrates in vegetables,
              where would they come from?
    25        A.  Well, it is a normal constituent.
  
    26   Q.   The large quantities of them, are they something to do 
              with fertilizer residues? 
    27        A.  That may influence the amount that is present in them
              but, I mean, there is no doubt that they -- nitrate is a
    28        naturally occurring product in these foods and that, to
              the best of my knowledge, there is never any suggestion
    29        that people who eat these diets suffer any ill health in
              any way from them.
    30
         Q.   There is an increased amount of nitrates because of modern

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