1996 JOINT ANNUAL REPORT OF COMMITTEES - TOXICITY, MUTAGENICITY & CARCINOGENICITY

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 98/040

1996 JOINT ANNUAL REPORT OF COMMITTEES ON TOXICITY, MUTAGENICITY AND CARCINOGENICITY

Sir Kenneth Calman, the Government''s Chief Medical Officer, today announced the publication of the sixth Joint Annual Report of the Committees on Toxicity, Mutagenicity and Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment.

The report outlines the work undertaken by the three Committees during 1996 and the conclusions reached. This includes:

The Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT)

* established a Working Group to consider the issue of peanut allergy, in particular whether early exposure was linked to the incidence of allergy in later life and whether any advice should be given to pregnant women. The Group will report back to the Committee on completion of this work;

* considered the potential hazards of phthalates found in a survey of infant formulae. It concluded that on the evidence available to date, the levels of individual and total phthalates found in the survey of infant formulae were unlikely to pose any risk to the health of infants, but it considered it would be prudent to ensure there were adequate safety margins. It therefore endorsed action already taken by manufacturers to trace the sources of phthalates present in infant formulae so that levels might be reduced.

The Committee on Mutagenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COM)

* considered a diverse range of chemicals including agaratine (present in mushrooms), bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (a compound of some can linings) and chlorine dioxide (used in the treatment of flour). Advice on any potential mutagenic hazards and if necessary further testing strategies was given.

The Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COC)

* advice, at the request of the Department of Health, on a possible association between the occurrence of leukaemia in three children who attended the same class at Sir James Smith School in Camelford, North Cornwall, and the Lowermoor water contamination incident in July 1988. The Committee reviewed the available data and issued a statement. It agreed that there was no epidemiological or toxicological evidence to support the hypothesis that short term exposure to the chemical contaminants identified in the drinking water, was involved in the aetiology of the three cases of paediatric leukaemia. The Committee agreed to keep the issue under review and agreed on priority areas for further research;

* a review, requested by the Department of Health, of new research published by Olney J W and colleagues in the USA suggesting a possible link between increasing brain tumour rates and aspartame (used as an artificial sweetener). The Committee found the research was flawed and concluded the data did not raise any concerns regarding the use of aspartame in the UK.

The report also contains details of the Committees'' terms of reference, their roles and membership and details of their commercial interests.

Notes for Editors

1. The three Committees are expert advisory committees (first set up in 1978) whose members are appointed by the Chief Medical Officer. Before 1978 advice was provided by sub-committees of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Safety.

2. Olney J W, Farher N B, Spitznagel E and Robins LN (1996), Journal of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, 55, (11), 1115-1123, - Increasing brain tumour rates: is there a link to aspartame?

3. Copies of the Report are available from the Stationery Office, ISBN 0-11-322115-0, price #19.50. The report can also be found on the Internet at: www.official-documents.co.uk/document/doh/toxicity/toxic.htm.

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# = pounds sterling