NOS News•today, 6:08 PM
The use of various smoke flavorings in products will eventually be banned because they may be carcinogenic. That is the outcome of a vote in the EU Food Safety Committee.
The decision means that these substances will no longer be allowed to be used in the production of, for example, smoked sausages, smoked cheese, and other products with a smoke flavor, such as nuts or sauces.
The smoke flavorings were authorized in the EU for a period of ten years, but that period will not be extended. However, there will be a transition period of a number of years, so that producers have time to find alternatives.
Genotoxic substances
The decision follows an advice from the European Food Safety Authority, EFSA. He looked at eight smoke flavorings and concluded that six of them contained so-called genotoxic substances. These are substances that can damage the DNA, which can lead to cancer, for example.
The European food watchdog has not investigated the likelihood that the consumption of smoke flavorings will lead to damage to health. Furthermore, the EFSA notes that it also depends on factors such as eating habits and body type. In addition, experts err on the side of caution when assessing risks. This means that, in their own words, they assume worst-case scenarios.
Harmful health effects cannot be ruled out for the other two of the eight smoke flavorings, the European food watchdog says.
Smoked sausages were traditionally smoked over a fire, the traditional way. This method came under fire because smoke contains all kinds of substances that can cause cancer. In the 1970s, a different way was therefore chosen to add the smoky flavor to the meat.
Wood is burned to create smoke aroma. The resulting smoke is liquefied, known as condensation. After a purification process, this substance is used as a smoke flavoring.
Consequences for companies
The question is what the consequences will be for Unox, for example, the brand under which approximately 16 million sausages are produced annually. These roll out of the factory in Oss, which is part of Unilever.
A spokesperson said the transition period will be used to “either develop alternative smoke flavors or look at other solutions to maintain the current taste”.
Unlike Unox sausages, the HEMA variant is smoked in the traditional way. According to the store chain, around 10 million of them are sold annually.
