A number of lots of Bounty, Snickers and Twix ice-cream were withdrawn from Moldova’s market after the National Food Safety Agency determined that this ice-cream contains high concentrations of ethylene oxide, IPN reports.
In a press release, the Agency said an internal inquiry showed the given products were imported by three companies. The traceability documents helped identify the batches and withdraw them as “contaminated”. The withdrawn lots are to be returned to the country of origin.
On July 19, the EU’s RASFF (Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed) portal reported that ethylene oxide was found in the additive locust bean gum, which is mainly a thickening agent or stabilizer. It is used in foods including ice cream, breakfast cereals, meat products, confectionery, fermented milk products and cheese. The EC Food and Feed Disaster Coordinators held a series of three conferences – on 29 June, 30 June and 13 July – to ‘toughen coordination among Member States’.
Experts said that there is no safe level of exposure for consumers in products that contain the additive known to be contaminated with ethylene oxide and any level people may be faced with presents a potential risk. This means food or feed businesses that put such products on the EU market need to withdraw and recall them.
