- Makers of bottled baby food have been urged to change
the packaging after a toxin linked to cancers and birth defects was found
in several varieties contained in glass jars with metal lids.
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- The discovery of semicarbazide three months ago in dozens
of foods packed in jars and bottles with twist-on-twist-off lids sent the
food industry into turmoil, prompting an investigation by a panel of scientific
experts reporting to the European Food Safety Authority.
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- The substance, also called SEM, has been linked in animal
studies to cancers, liver damage and - in high doses - to miscarriages
and birth defects.
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- So far it has been found in bottles or jars of baby food,
fruit juices, jams and preserves, pickles, mustard, honey and sauces such
as ketchup and mayonnaise.
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- Yesterday Dr Sue Barlow, the panel's chairman, told the
food industry: "It would be prudent to reduce the presence of semicarbazide
in baby foods as swiftly as technological progress allows." The authority
also recommended a reduction of the chemical in other foods, after baby
foods have been tackled.
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- Contamination of food products with SEM was first discovered
by an independent laboratory used by Nestle, Heinz and other food makers,
although none of the companies would admit that its foods were among those
contaminated.
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- Scientists believe SEM is produced during the heat treatment
used to make plastic sealing gaskets in the lids of glass jars and bottles.
The chemical then migrates from the plastic into the food, Dr Barlow said.
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- The Food Standards Agency in London said yesterday that
it had commissioned its own research to develop a reliable test for semicarbazide.
It has also been consulting the Metal Packaging Manufacturers' Association.
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- Sir John Krebs, chairman of the agency, said that there
was "considerable uncertainty about the possible risks from semicarbazide".
He said it was not possible to rule out that the chemical was a cancer
risk to humans. But he said that, according to the expert panel, the risk
was "very small".
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- Sir John did not advise against eating food from jars
but said that "parents may understandably be concerned by the continuing
uncertainty, which may lead some to choose alternative foods for their
babies".
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- The agency said parents who wanted to avoid glass jars
and bottles of baby foods should look at frozen, tinned and packets of
dried baby food. It has published practical suggestions on its website
on how parents might make their own baby food.
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- Martin Paterson, the deputy director general of the Food
and Drink Federation, which represents manufacturers, said a joint food
and packaging industry task force was "working with the authorities
to eliminate SEM from the metal twist caps used with glass jars".
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- He said it would take some time to find a replacement
for the current sealing technology.
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- A spokesman for Nestle said the company had alerted authorities
as soon as it was aware of the problem. Monique Warnock, a food campaigner
at the Consumers' Association, said there were concerns that although the
potential health risk was sufficient for the European Food Safety Authority
to urge manufacturers to change their packaging, it did not warrant the
removal of these containers from shops.
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- "The food industry identified this potential risk.
It needs to show its commitment to consumer safety by taking immediate
action to find alternative sources of packaging," she said.
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- © Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2003.
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- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/10/16/
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