Phosphates in meat will not be authorised, as the Commission intends. For reasons of public health, the European Parliament’s environment committee vetoed a European Commission delegated act in Brussels on Tuesday 28 November seeking to authorise the use of phosphoric acid, diphosphates, triphosphates and polyphosphates (E 338-452) in kebabs, whether they be mutton, lamb, veal, beef or poultry.
These food additives are used to retain the water in kebabs, and so protect the flavour and add weight. They are also associated, however, with increased cardiovascular risk, highlighted in a 2012 scientific review. For that reason, therefore, MEPs voted by a comfortable majority (32 to 22) to oppose the delegated act.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) formed the view that it was impossible to attribute the increase in cardiovascular risk to the ingestion of phosphates. It said that it would carry out a re-assessment of the safety of phosphate food additives by 31 December 2018.
The delegated act consists of a Commission regulation amending Annex II of Regulation 1333/2008 of the Parliament and Council.
Parliament will put the matter to a vote in the December plenary session. If the objection receives absolute majority approval (376 votes), the delegated act will be blocked and the Commission will have to go back to the drawing board. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)