Supplementary Memorandum submitted by Mr Jeff Rooker,
MP, Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and
Food (E59) [26 May 1998]
I understand that on a couple of occasions during my oral
evidence to the Select Committee on Wednesday I inadvertently
suggested that the industry had rejected the idea of a voluntary
warning on food supplements containing vitamin B6. What I should
have said was that the industry had rejected the idea of a voluntary10
mg per daily dose limit. The question of voluntary labelling has
not been discussed with them. Nor, in the light of the very clear
advice that we have received from our expert committees, do we
consider this to be an alternative to a limit on the level of
vitamin B6 in food supplements. As I think I noted during the
hearing, it would be nonsensical to include a warning about the
risks of intakes above 10 mg a day on supplements sold in daily
doses of up to 250 mg.
There is one other point that I would like to clarify, and
that is in relation to the role of the new Expert Group on Vitamins
and Minerals. I believe I said that it may wish to consider the
question of claims. That, of course, is a matter for the Food
Advisory Committee (FAC), and not the new Expert Group whose role
is to advise on scientific matters. The FAC has already been looking
at the need for more specific controls on health claims following
consumer concerns and has produced draft guidelines on this subject.
These have now been developed into a draft Code of Practice by
a joint group of consumers, food industry and enforcement interests
and is currently out for consultation. The UK has also been pressing
the EU Commission to develop harmonised rules based on work done
internationally in Codex and in some EU member states.
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