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Document 92001E002200
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2200/01 by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission. Asthma and food additives.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2200/01 by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission. Asthma and food additives.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2200/01 by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission. Asthma and food additives.
Ú. v. ES C 93E, 18.4.2002, p. 78–78
(ES, DA, DE, EL, EN, FR, IT, NL, PT, FI, SV)
- Date of document:
- 23/07/2001; Dátum prenosu
- Date of dispatch:
- 23/07/2001
- Date of reply:
- 05/09/2001; písomná odpoveď
- Author:
- Európsky parlament, Not available
- Form:
- Písomná otázka
- Addressee:
- Európska komisia
- Parliamentary term:
- Piate volebné obdobie
- Political group:
- Skupina Európskej liberálnej, demokratickej a reformnej strany
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92001E2200
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2200/01 by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission. Asthma and food additives.
Official Journal 093 E , 18/04/2002 P. 0078 - 0078
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2200/01 by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission (23 July 2001) Subject: Asthma and food additives Is the Commission aware of concerns that a widely used food preservative, sodium metabisulphite (E223), may be responsible for generating asthma attacks in some individuals? Is the Commission sponsoring any research into this issue? Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission (5 September 2001) The Commission is well aware of the fact that sulphiting agents such as sodium metabisulphite can generate asthma attacks in some individuals. Indeed, the Scientific Committee on Food last evaluated sodium metabisulphite and other sulphiting agents in 1994(1). In its opinion, the Committee concluded that sulphiting agents do not pose a health hazard to the great majority of people, but that they may pose a serious hazard to some people suffering from asthma. It recommended that the use of sulphiting agents should be limited to those foods where there is a sound technological justification for their use, and that the presence of added sulphiting agents in food be labelled irrespective of the final amount present. Furthermore, the question of intolerance to sulphiting agents has been addressed in the report on adverse reactions to food and food ingredients, issued by the Scientific Committee on Food in September 1995. Sulphiting agents are authorised as food additives in a range of foodstuffs, according to Directive 95/2/EC on food additives other than colours and sweeteners(2), Annex III Part B. Sulphiting agents are effective anti-microbial agents preventing the growth of yeast, moulds and bacteria. They also prevent non-enzymatic and enzymatic browning. The technological need for the use of the sulphiting agents in these foodstuffs has been established prior to authorisation according to the criteria for the authorisation of food additives. The use of sulphiting agents in food, like all other additives, is labelled according to Directive 2000/13/EC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs(3). Furthermore, the Commission is going to adopt shortly a proposal for amendment of the Directive foreseeing a compulsory labelling of allergens, including sulphiting agents. This proposal also covers the labelling of sulphiting agents in alcoholic beverages, which were exempt from the labelling of ingredients before. This allows the consumer suffering from intolerance against sulphiting agents to avoid foodstuffs in which these substances have been used. (1) Opinion on sulphur dioxide and other sulphiting agents used as food preservatives, expressed on 25 February 1994. (2) OJ L 61, 18.3.1995. (3) OJ L 109, 6.5.2000.
