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EMULSIFIERS AND STABILISERS IN FOOD REGULATIONS, 1962
MILK AND DAIRIES (EMULSIFIERS AND STABILISERS) REGULATIONS, 1962
The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Minister of Health have jointly
issued the abovementioned Regulations.
Emulsifiers and Stabilisers in Food Regulations
The Emulsifiers and Stabilisers in Food Regulations prescribe a list of permitted emulsifiers
and stabilisers. They prohibit the importation or sale of food containing emulsifiers or
stabilisers not on the permitted list.
The regulations further prohibit the sale or importation of flour containing any emulsifier
or stabiliser, of bread containing any emulsifier or stabiliser except stearyl tartrate or partial
glycerol esters and of cream or reconstituted cream containing any thickening substance.
The regulations provide that the above prohibitions shall not apply as respects a food
containing an emulsifier or stabiliser if that emulsifier or stabiliser is naturally present in the
food or is present by reason only of the use of the emulsifier or stabliser in a tin greasing emulsion.
The regulations prohibit the sale or advertisement of any emulsifier or stabilisier for use
in food which is not a permitted emulsifier or stabiliser and impose requirements as to the
labelling and advertising of permitted emulsifiers and stabilisers.
The regulations provide that where any food is certified by a public analyst as being food
which it is an offence against regulation 3 to sell, consign or deliver, or import into England or
Wales, that food may be treated for the purpose of Section 9 of the Food and Drugs Act, 1955
(under which food may be seized and destroyed on the order of a justice of the peace) as being
unfit for human consumption.
The regulations came into operation on 16th July, 1962, save that the provisions relating to
the labelling and advertisement of permitted emulsifiers and stabilisers will come into operation
on 14th January, 1963.
Milk and Dairies (Emulsifiers and Stabilisers) Regulations
The Milk and Dairies (Emulsifiers and Stabilisers) Regulations prohibit the sale of any
liquid milk to which any emulsifier or stabiliser has been added.
The Regulations came into operation on 11 April, 1962.
FOOD ADDITIVES
In view of discussion and apparently a good deal of public concern about this matter, it is
thought appropriate to quote from the conclusion of an address under the title "Are we being
poisoned?" by Professor Alastair C. Frazer, C.B.E., M.D., D.Sc., F.R. C.P., at the Annual
General Meeting of the British Food Manufacturing Industries Reasearch Association held on
May 8th, 1963.
Dr. Frazer, who has an international reputation as a nutritionist, is professor of medical
biochemistry and pharmacology at Birmingham University, and he concludes his address as
follows:—
"To summarise, therefore, extensive measures are taken to ensure, as far as possible, that
food is not contaminated with poisonous substances and that chemicals added to food are
acceptable and safe-in-use; there is no well-documented evidence that anyone, other than
those concerned in their manufacture, distribution, or use, has been poisoned by the chemicals
used in agriculture or food technology. To all general appearances the people of this country
today seem to be as healthy as at any time in their history. Therefore, to the question: "Are
we being poisoned?" all reasonable people, who are prepared to examine the facts impartially,
will, in my opinion, say "NO". This does not, in any way, decrease the need for adequate
control, and continued vigilance. It is, however, the answer to the ill-informed and irresponsible
attacks that have been made upon those who produce and distribute the nation's food and those
that safeguard the public health."
This extract is reproduced by courtesy of the Food Trades Journal.
HYGIENE IN FOOD
Reappraisal of the form of action to be taken by local authorities when foreign bodies are
found in foodstuffs has been advocated by the British Food Journal and Hygiene Review.
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