Fwd: Cancer Link Found In Baby Food Twist-Top Caps

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Fri, 17 Oct 2003 18:37:51 +1300

Cancer Link Found In Baby Food

Twist-Top Caps

 

 

http://www.rense.com/general43/stwi.htm

Cancer Link Found In Baby

Food Twist-Top Caps

By Robert Uhlig

Food Correspondent

The Telegraph - UK

10-16-3

 

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.

 

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.

 

The substance, also called SEM, has been linked in animal studies to

cancers, liver damage and - in high doses - to miscarriages and birth

defects.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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 " .

 

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 " .

 

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.

 

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 " .

 

He said it would take some time to find a replacement for the current

sealing technology.

 

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.

 

" 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.

 

© Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2003.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/10/16/

ntox16.xml & sSheet=/news/2003/10/16/ixhome.html

 

 

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