The international consumer organization Foodwatch has ‘withdrawn’ Knorr nuts from the shelves of several European supermarkets. The products were found to be contaminated with the potentially carcinogenic and genotoxic MOAH mineral oils in the test conducted in late 2021.
Foodwatch recalls contaminated Knorr nuts
Foodwatch chose to take action with a demonstration blitz after witnessing the inaction of European and national health institutions.
More than two months after showing that out of 152 foods tested 1 in 8 is contaminated with the dangerous MOAH(mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons), only France has ordered a recall of Knorr nuts. No action was taken in the other four.
‘In Germany, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands, products contaminated with toxic aromatic mineral oil (MOAH) are still on the shelves,’ the consumer association warns.
Appeal to the PAFF Committee.
To ensure food safety Foodwatch now appeals to the EU Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (PAFF Committee) which meets on 28.2.22. The hope is that measures will be taken to protect the health of consumers, stipulating that if food is proven to be contaminated with MOAH, a recall and withdrawal from the market will be triggered.
‘Food giant Unilever still claims that its products, which are highly contaminated with mineral oils suspected of causing cancer, are safe for health. It is time for all governments and food authorities across Europe to show Unilever the red card and force it to comply with European food legislation. It is outrageous for Unilever to put itself above the law‘, thunders Matthias Wolfschmidt, strategy director of Foodwatch International.
The petition
The demand for tight control over the safety of food sold in the European Union is merely a demand to comply with the rules passed by the EU itself.
Article 14 of the General Food Law (EC 178/2002) on food safety requirements states that‘food cannot be placed on the market if it is unsafe,’ Foodwatch points out. Which reminds, ‘it is the duty of political authorities (Article 17.1) to ensure that producers comply with their legal obligations (Article 17.2) to protect consumers from health risks.’
To restate the obvious, the organization launched a petition on 9.12.21. Calls on the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety and EU member state leaders to adopt a zero-tolerance rule against MOAH in food.
Knorr nuts, Nutella and other contaminated products
Seven different types of Unilever’s Knorr nuts were among the most contaminated foods in the test conducted in December 2021. Other MOAH-polluted samples had included a batch of Nutella and Lindt’s Lindor chocolates. Overall, contamination levels ranged from 0.63 to 82 mg/kg.
According to Foodwatch, French, Belgian, and Luxembourg authorities have begun taking action and have officially recalled some of the contaminated products in recent weeks: Knorr nuts in France and Lea Nature nuts in Belgium, and a Delhaize product in Belgium and Luxembourg. Elsewhere all is silent. Especially where Foodwatch does not arrive, as in Italy.
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".
