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THE FOOD SAFETY Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has said there are no plans to change regulations here after the US announced a ban on eight synthetic food dyes.
America’s Food and Drug Agency (FDA) announced this week that it is seeking to eliminate the use of eight petroleum-based synthetic dyes used in food processing as part of the Trump administration’s broader ‘Make America Healthy Again’ initiative.
Robert F Kennedy Jr., Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services is proposing to take a number of steps in the short-to-medium term to revoke authorisation for use of specific synthetic colourings in food manufacturing, and to replace them with natural alternatives.
In a press release, Kennedy said Americans have for a long time been exposed to the colourings “without their knowledge or consent”.
“These poisonous compounds offer no nutritional benefit and pose real, measurable dangers to our children’s health and development,” he said. “That era is coming to an end.”
In a statement, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary gave a nod to Europe’s existing food safety legislation which is controlled by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
“Today, the FDA is asking food companies to substitute petrochemical dyes with natural ingredients for American children as they already do in Europe and Canada,” he said.
These include Citrus Red No. 2, Orange B, FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6, FD&C Blue No. 1, and FD&C Blue No. 2.
The use of food dyes in Ireland, as in all other member states, is regulated at an EU level under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008.
Under these regulations, a food colouring must meet specific criteria in order to receive approval in the EU market.
The regulations state that use of the colourings must be safe upon use, must not mislead consumers and must be of benefit to consumers.
Use of three of the eight synthetic dyes facing the chop in the US is already outlawed within the EU, while the other five are authorised for inclusion in foods manufactured in EU member states.
The three banned dyes are Citrus Red No. 2, Orange B and FD&C Green No. 3 which the FSAI says are not authorised in the bloc due to “safety concerns”.
The EFSA undertakes frequent reviews of additives in line with updated data surrounding their safety.
FSAI Senior Technical Executive Emma Reinhardt told The Journal that no such plans are in place to update the EU’s position on colourings in food.
“The EU has one of the highest thresholds for food safety in the world, which includes food additives, such as colours.”
She continued: “While the EU has not followed the recent FDA proposal to ban these food colours, it continues to monitor and assess the safety of all food additives. Should new scientific data/evidence emerge indicating a health risk, the EU may consider revising its regulations accordingly.”
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I’m only in my the boozer. I’m half drunk, half high and there’s a strange smell of raw meat off me. What the heck am I doing here reading about baby names for?
We should just use our pps numbers
What the article doesn’t state is that this list was issued by Dept of Foreign Affairs and is a list of the first names of babies who applied for passports. It is not a list of all babies born last year. That is done by the CSO and comes out later in the year. This one means nothing
It clearly states at the top of the graph that the names are from birth certs.
Yes. Birth certs provided for passport applications, not all birth certs issued last year. Those stats aren’t collated until later this year. Google it
Yes. From birth certs provided for passport applications. Not all birth certs issued last year. Those stats aren’t collated yet. Google it. Dept of Foreign Affairs released these ones, that’s your clue.
@Santa Carla: That seems legit at face value. I was wondering why the department of foreign affairs were collating birth cert statistics.
Why are people such sheep when it comes to choosing names?
If they really were sheep,we’d be calling them Wooly and Shaun
When you have a kid call it Enda so
Recently I heard a child being called Noah by his Mother.
The first thing I thought of was ‘where is the flood’
If only Daniel and jack were in reverse
@eastsmer #IRExit: When I hear jack I think where is the bean stalk,and as for Emily I think where is the ponies .English to the core this nation of sheep are.
Very soon it will be Mohammed.
Highly unlikely. You’re probably the type who sees the country as overwhelmed with Muslims, when in fact it’s just 1.1% of the population. That’s about 51,000 people out of 4.7 million, and about 4,650,000 people who are not Muslim. That, coupled with the fact that (and this may surprise you) they don’t call all their sons Mohammed, makes it even more unlikely.
But don’t let the facts get in the way of your arsey comment.
On another topic though, I’m sad to see so few Irish names in the lists. None for the boys, and two for the girls. So many nice ones to choose from.
Ah fèck it, there are at least three Irish names for boys. Sunday morning brain is a curse.
@Eamon Mac Gowan: Followed by Abdul,Haifa,Ibrahim,Precious.
Please please please save us from Jack.
It’s been going on 20 years.
1/5 of boys are called Jack.
Its cringeworthy.
It’s awful.
@Tom Burke: Do you know how it started by the way?
Titanic
James Cameron has a lot to answer for
I’d just like to point out that on the Journal’s graph they show lego on the male side. Can’t girls play with lego too? That’s some deep internalised misogyny right there. I knew the Journal was part of the patriarchy! Hell they even use pink and blue. And there’s only two genders!? Sexist and transphobic as ever.
Fyi this is satire just in case I activate Poe’s law
Just wondering how or where the Department of Foreign Affairs comes into it.
It’s not possible to have a list of baby names yet as parent have 3 months to register their kids so a list like this is BS
It’s not the proper CSO list Paul. This is just a list of the names on birth certs for babies who made passport applications last year
Noah and Amelia/Emilia are the best names here
Amelia sounds like some kind of blood disorder…
Yes, but each to their own. I’m guessing that most Emilias are named after the actress’s stage name. The woman who plays Daenerys. I think it would date fast. At least naming a child after a legendary Irish character would mean they or their great-grandchildren could look it up later, while most names from a TV series will seem obscure even one generation on.
Enda is a lovely name. Enda Kenny with be all forgotten about in 5 years time.
It’s a pity his policies won’t be.
AAHH no Enda how many Simon’s
Michelle, surely these are passport related, why else would dept of foreign affairs issue?
my son was born in march 2016,and his name is Thor and that’s not on your list
have your say