EU Bans Smoke Flavors in Food Products due to Carcinogenic Risks

The use of various smoke flavors in products will eventually be banned as they may be carcinogenic. That is the result of a vote in the EU Food Safety Committee.

The decision means that these products may no longer be used in the production of, for example, smoked sausages, smoked cheese, and other products with a smoky flavor, such as nuts or sauces:

The smoke flavors have been approved in the EU for ten years, but that period will not be extended. However, there will be a transition period of several years, so that producers have time to find other options.

The decision follows advice from the European Food Safety Authority, EFSA. He looked at eight smoke flavors and concluded that six of them contained so-called genotoxic substances. These are substances that can damage the DNA, which can cause cancer, for example.

The European food watchdog has not investigated the possibility that the consumption of smoke flavors will harm health. In addition, the EFSA notes that it also depends on factors such as eating habits and body type. Additionally, experts err on the side of caution when assessing risks. This means, in their own words, that they accept the worst situations.

Harmful health effects cannot be ruled out for the other two of the eight smoke flavors, the European food watchdog says.

Traditionally sausages were smoked over a fire, the traditional way. This method came under fire because it contains all kinds of substances that can cause cancer. In the 1970s, another method was chosen to add a smoky flavor to the meat.

Wood is burned to create a smoke aroma. The resulting smoke is condensed, which is called condensation. After a cleaning process, this material is used as a smoke flavoring.

The question is what the impact will be for Unox, for example, the brand under which around 16 million sausages are produced each year. These are distributed from the factory in Oss, which is part of Unilever.

A spokesperson said the transition period will be used to “either develop other smoke flavors or look at other solutions to maintain the current flavor”.

Unlike Unox sausages, the HEMA variety is smoked in the traditional way. According to the store chain, about 10 million of them are sold each year.