Cancer-causing toxic ice cream withdrawn from sale all over Europe

Cancer-causing toxic ice cream withdrawn from sale all over Europe over

Cancer-causing toxic ice cream withdrawn from sale all over Europe over. image: Wikipedia

Cancer-causing toxic ice cream has been withdrawn from sale all over Europe due to an EU directive.

There has been a Health alert New data on toxic residues found in an additive used in the production of one of our favourite desserts, ice cream.

The European Commission has agreed with all the EU Member States on a common action after ethylene oxide was detected in a food additive marketed in different countries, including Spain

The Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) warned on June 24 of the marketing in different European countries, including Spain, of a food additive (carob bean gum, E410) in which ethylene oxide residues had been detected in a concentration above the maximum legal limit established, which had been used as a stabiliser in the manufacture of ice cream.

The use of ethylene oxide in food is prohibited in the EU because it is a substance classified as “mutagenic, carcinogenic and toxic for reproduction“, according to Aesan.

Mutagenic is anything that causes a mutation (a change in the DNA of a cell). DNA changes caused by mutagens may harm cells and cause certain diseases, such as cancer.

A carcinogen is any substance, radionuclide, or radiation that promotes carcinogenesis, the formation of cancer

Reproductive toxicity is a hazard associated with some chemical substances, which interfere in some way with normal reproduction; such substances are called reprotoxic. They may adversely affect sexual function and fertility in adult males and females, as well as causing developmental toxicity in the offspring.

Now, the European Commission, after holding three meetings with the designated officials of the Member States together with European experts on pesticide residues and food additives, has agreed with all EU countries that for all batches of the food additive in which residues of ethylene oxide had been found, as well as all products made with this additive “should be considered as unsafe and unfit for consumption”.

The European Commission considers that it is not possible to define a safe level of exposure for the population and that, therefore, “any level to which they may be exposed presents a potential risk”.

Therefore, it is again asking food operators who have placed these products on the EU market to withdraw them from the market and, where appropriate, also to recall them from consumers “to ensure a high level of health protection”.

The Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) points out that, since it was known to be food alert last June, Spain began the withdrawal of the contaminated additive, as well as the immobilisation of products manufactured with it, mainly ice cream.

However, it indicates that, after the issuance of this common European criterion, “all products made from the contaminated additive are being withdrawn immediately” and reminds food companies that, in compliance with food legislation, they must withdraw from the marketing chain all products in which this additive has been used.

What is ethylene oxide?

Ethylene oxide at room temperature is a colourless, flammable, sweet-smelling gas that is used almost exclusively in the non-food industry as a raw material for the production of organic chemicals: ethylene glycol, nonionic detergents, polyester fibres, antifreeze…. Other uses are as a petroleum anti-emulsifier, solvent and rocket propellant.

As for health effects, Aesan explains that it is classified as a “possible mutagen, possible carcinogen and possible reproductive toxicant”. This is the reason why its use has been banned in the EU for more than 20 years. In fact, ethylene oxide has not been authorized in the European Union as a plant protection product since the early 1990s, so it cannot be used for the disinfection of plant products.

Despite being banned in the EU, following this incident, the Aesan points out that it has been found that ethylene oxide could be present in raw materials of plant origin from third world countries intended for direct human consumption, or that are used as ingredients in the manufacture of various food products or, in turn, as raw material for the manufacture of such ingredients.

The information was supplied from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF)


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Written by

Ron Howells

Ron actually started his working career as an Ophthalmic Technician- things changed when, during a band rehearsal, his amplifier blew up and he couldn’t get it fixed so he took a course at Birmingham University and ended up doing a degree course. He built up a chain of electronics stores and sold them as a franchise over 35 years ago. After five years touring the world Ron decided to move to Spain with his wife and son, a place they had visited over the years, and only bought the villa they live in because it has a guitar-shaped swimming pool!. Playing the guitar since the age of 7, he can often be seen, (and heard!) at beach bars and clubs along the length of the coast. He has always been interested in the news and constantly thrives to present his articles in an interesting and engaging way.

Comments


    • Anne Sewell

      25 July 2021 • 12:31

      It would be nice to know which product has the poison in it, just in case suppliers ignore the recall!!

    • CCW60

      25 July 2021 • 16:38

      I find it interesting it is noted here “The use of ethylene oxide in food is prohibited in the EU because it is a substance classified as “mutagenic, carcinogenic and toxic for reproduction“, according to Aesan.” What an easy way to cause reproduction problems in our young people. Could this possibly be one of the many reasons we are seeing such large spike in the number of YOUNG couples having issues with infertility? Or how about the huge spike in the number of cancer cases, particularly breast cancer in young (20’s, 30’s,) women?? Gotta wonder if this another Bill Gates idea to have this substance put in our foods for his plan to reduce the world population.

    • GWS

      25 July 2021 • 17:01

      Sloppy article that fails to identify affected procucts.

    • Al

      26 July 2021 • 02:03

      Anne is correct, article is basically useless without the brands named.

    • Al

      26 July 2021 • 02:05

      Blocking comments now? Censorship is a bad trend in reporting.

      • John Smith

        26 July 2021 • 10:36

        Sorry Al I wasn’t awake at 2 o’clock this morning. Every comment is checked by a human to ensure that it isn’t spam, offensive or contains swear words so there was no blocking just waiting for me to check it.

    Comments are closed.