Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of lowering the legal limits on nitrites in processed meat products on public health.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA), which holds policy responsibility for the safety of food additives, is considering the impact of lowering nitrate levels from a food safety perspective. Nitrates are important additives that perform a range of technological functions, including control of microorganisms such as the pathogen Clostridium botulinum which is responsible for botulism, an often fatal condition. The FSA would wish to ensure there are no unintended food safety consequences related to lowering nitrate and nitrite levels before considering next steps.