The food industry tried to get the Government to push back against an EU proposal to phase out flavourings that add a smoky taste to meats, fish and crisps, documents show.
Earlier this year the European Commission withdrew authorisation for the method food producers use to add smoke flavourings to food, over concerns about possible health risks from the additives.
Member states backed the changes in April, which had been tabled after the EU’s food safety authority concluded toxicity concerns about the flavourings were “either confirmed or can’t be ruled out”.
Records released to The Irish Times under the Freedom of Information Act show the food industry lobbied several ministers beforehand to push Ireland to oppose the decision.
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Kerry Group, one of the big players in the flavouring market, told Minister of State in the Department of Agriculture Martin Heydon that a “large cohort” of EU countries were against the changes. They pointed to Sweden’s minister for rural affairs Peter Kullgren, who had written to the commission to express “deep concerns” and ask for businesses to be given five to 10 years to phase out the flavourings.
Kerry Group told Mr Heydon that the Swedish letter was “perfect” and they would like Ireland to adopt a stance “in line with the position in this letter”, minutes of a February 27th meeting state. Dawn Farms said the flavourings were used extensively in many products and “would be difficult to replace and in some cases it would not be possible”.
[ Why is the EU coming after smoky bacon crisps?Opens in new window ]
Meat Industry Ireland, which represents the sector, said the change might push producers back to traditional methods like smokehouses, which was “illogical” as they were less healthy. The lobby group told the meeting businesses would be open to “reformulating” current flavourings, but would need time to do that.
Notes prepared for Mr Heydon by officials said he could acknowledge a “perceived lack of proportionality” in testing carried out by the EU safety food authority, who did not appear to have examined the “potential harmful effects” of producers switching back to traditional smoking.
The method used by food producers purifies smoke to remove harmful components such as tar and ash, before the flavouring is then added to food.
The notes said Mr Heydon should outline that despite “perceived flaws” in the evidence against the flavourings, the Department of Health was satisfied that it was “sufficient to support the future ban”.
Ireland voted in favour of phasing out the flavourings in April. The commission gave producers two years to stop using them in crisps, soups and snacks, and five years to phase out their use in meats, cheese and fish.
While industry sources said producers will likely be able to use a different additive to get a smoky or barbecue flavour in crisps and snacks, there is more uncertainty about how to replicate the taste in meats and fish products.
Records show former Fine Gael TD Noel Rock was involved in lobbying his former Government colleagues about the issue, on behalf of Kerry Group.
A February 13th briefing Mr Rock sent to Minister of State in the Department of Health Hildegarde Naughton said that Ireland would “ideally join other EU nations in opposing the commission’s proposal”. Mr Rock was working as a lobbyist for Red Flag Consulting, but has since announced his intention to stand for Fine Gael in the coming general election.
Then minister for enterprise Simon Coveney did raise the concerns of the food industry in a March 27th letter to the commission, stating producers had warned the changes could lead to the “discontinuation of a wide range of products currently on the market”.
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