SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13G
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
OPTA FOOD INGREDIENTS INCORPORATED
(NAME OF ISSUER)
COMMON STOCK $0.01
(TITLE OF CLASS OF SECURITIES)
0006838N1
(CUSIP NUMBER)
Check the following box if a fee is being paid with this
statement [ ]
13G
CUSIP NUMBER 0006838N1
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NUMBER OF ABOVE PERSON
NATIONAL WESTMINSTER BANK PLC 13-563460
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
(a) [ ]
(b) [X]
3 SEC USE ONLY
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
ENGLAND
NUMBER OF 5 SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES 0
BENEFICIALLY 6 SHARED VOTING POWER
OWNED BY 74,250
EACH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
REPORTING 0
PERSON 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
WITH 74,250
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
74,250
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES
CERTAIN SHARES
[ ]
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
0.7%
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
BK, HC
Item 1. (a) Name of Issuer.
OPTA Food Ingredients Incorporated
(b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices.
25 WIGGINS AVENUE
BEDFORD
MASSACHUSETTS 01730
Item 2. (a) Name of Person Filing.
NATIONAL WESTMINSTER BANK PLC
(b) Address of Principal Business Office:
41 LOTHBURY
LONDON EC2P 2BP
ENGLAND
(c) Citizenship (i.e. Place of Organisation)
ENGLAND
(d) Title of Class of Securities
COMMON STOCK $0.01
(e) CUSIP Number.
0006838N1
Item 3. If this statement is filed pursuant to Rules 13d-1(b) or
13d-2(b), check whether the person filing is a:
_
(a) |_| Broker or Dealer registered under Section 15
of the Act
_
(b) |_| Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the
Act
_
(c) |_| Insurance Company as defined in Section
3(a)(19) of the Act
_
(d) |_| Investment Company registered under Section
8 of the Investment Company Act
_
(e) |_| Investment Adviser registered under Section
203 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940
_
(f) |_| Employee Benefit Plan, Pension Fund which is
subject to the provisions of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 or
Endowment Fund; see S240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F)
_
(g) |X| Parent Holding Company, in accordance with
S240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G)
_
(h) |_| Group, in accordance with S240.13d-
1(b)(1)(ii)(H)
Item 4. Ownership.
(a) Amount Beneficially Owned:
74,250
(b) Percent of Class:
0.7%
(c) Number of Shares as to which such person has:
(i) sole power to vote or to direct the vote
0
(ii) shared power to vote or to diriect the vote
74,250
(iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition
of
0
(iv) shared poer to dispose or to direct the disposition
of
74,250
Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class.
If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of
the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the
beneficial owner of more than five percent opf the class of
securities, check the following [X]
Item 6. Ownership of more than Five Percent on behalf of another person
Not applicable
Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which
Acquired the Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding
Company.
GARTMORE INVESTMENT LTD
(NatWest Markets Asset Management Holdings Ltd, a wholly owned
subsidiary of National Westminster Bank Plc, is the investment
holding company, as shown on the 13F filing).
IA
Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group
Not applicable
Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group.
Not applicable
Item 10. Certification
By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge
and belief, the securities referred to above were acquired in
the ordinary course of business and were not acquired for the
purpose of and do not have the effect of changing or
influencing the control of the issuer of such securities and
were not acquired in connection with or as a participant in any
transaction having such purposes or effect.
Signature
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify
that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct
FEBRUARY 12, 1997
NATIONAL WESTMINSTER BANK PLC
BY: Signed by David Brian Maycock
NAME: David Brian Maycock
TITLE: Director of Group Compliance
