SUDAN 1  FSA 0                                       Richard J B Willis

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has called for the removal of 100s of food items containing minute traces of the carcinogenic agent Sudan 1 from all grocery retail outlets and ranging from vegetable soups to more processed items.

Sudan 1 was made illegal recently when it was discovered that the colouring caused cancer in animal experiments.  The colouring agent is used in the production of shoe and floor polishes, waxes, solvents, oil and petrol.  In the instant under investigation it was used to enhance the colour of chilli powder which was subsequently purchased by the manufacturers of a particular brand of Worcester sauce.

Crosse and Blackwell bought in good faith before the substance was declared illegal, which was when Sudan 1 was already in the food chain.  The Worcester sauce is used as a flavouring agent in an extremely wide range of food items and where you might least expect them.  (A full list of the recalled items can be found at www.food.gov.uk.)

In truth there is little if any risk from Sudan 1 in the quantities in which it is found in all the food items concerned.  As an ingredient it is too minute to be labelled either in the original Worcester sauce or in the end products containing the sauce ingredient.  This is zero tolerance policy at best.

There is some suggestion that the FSA acted too late in informing manufacturers, retailers, and the general public since some of the supermarket chains were already withdrawing items from their shelves before the FSA announcement, hence the nil points awarded to them in the title!

There is another reason for their negative score.  Whilst acting over the issue of Sudan 1 causing literally millions of pounds to be lost, because of the withdrawal and destruction of food items, the Agency is being taken to task for their slowness in dealing with other food items of concern.  Health Agencies have pointed out that there is greater risk from the high quantities of salt, sugar and fat in the diet.  The FSA has the authority to make recommendations on all of these ingredients in its watchdog role on nutrition and health, but has failed to act.

The Health Secretary Dr John Read is open to the introduction of new food labelling ideas as simple as ABC or colour codes.  What neither he or the FSA will do is to tread on the toes of the food industry and impose restrictions on the really harmful elements of the national diet.  Let the score stand!