Beware of the ice creams you find in the supermarket. A well-known brand has withdrawn its ice creams for ethylene oxide contamination.
A batch of ice cream was withdrawn from all supermarkets. The reason is for the presence inside the ice cream of a substance that serves to protect the food from microorganisms. It is contamination of ethylene oxide and is very dangerous for humans because it can cause damage to the organism. The substance was found in the vanilla extract used to make ice cream.
To arrange the withdrawal of the ice cream was Eurofood Spa which has withdrawn from the market all the ice cream packs of the brand Häagen-Dasz vanilla flavor with expiration February 16, 2023. The batch number which is 160223 has also been circulated. And the EAN code 3415581101935. So be careful to check all the information if you buy or have a pack of ice cream of this brand at home.
Contamination by ethylene oxide: beware of ice cream in the supermarket
Ethylene oxide, also called oxirane, is used in the industrial sector especially in the oil sector but also in the medical field to sterilize. It acts as a disinfestant and a preservative, which is why it is excellent against molds and bacteria. This means that non-pasteurized foods are still safe without causing alterations to the product.
This substance is very dangerous and should only be handled by experts who know how to deal with it. The health risks are many with both exposure and inhalation. In fact, if you inhale for a long time this substance can cause headaches, convulsions but also strokes and even coma.
It is also dangerous for the respiratory tract and eyes. Ethylene oxide is a human carcinogen and can cause cancer. Including liver and reproductive system cancer. If ingested, however, the effects are slightly milder but still dangerous.
However, they warn that there is no need to create strong alarms since the percentage of contamination in food is very low and should not cause serious human health problems.
Experts say that the risk of getting sick with ethylene oxide is lower than that of smoking cigarettes. In fact, even smoking this substance is introduced into the body, about 7 nanograms.
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