Unhappy days! More Haagen-Dazs destroyed in cancer scare

Almost 28,000 Haagen-Dazs ice creams worth 12 million baht were destroyed in Samut Prakan Monday, even though the samples had not been found to contain a chemical linked to cancer.

According to today’s Bangkok Post, the country’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) deputy secretary-general, Weerachai Nolwachai, said on Tuesday that a number of countries in Europe had recalled Haagen-Dazs ice cream from sale after an historical alert that batches with expiring dates between March 16 and April 23, 2023, may be contaminated with pesticide.

The substance in question, 2-chloroethanol is a product of ethylene oxide, a pesticide that is not permitted for use in foods sold in the European Union but is in some countries outside the EU. Since 2020, there have been about 3,000 recalls due to ethylene oxide in the EU. There have been many more outside the EU, including a recent high-profile international recall of Häagen-Dazs ice cream that was distributed to about 80 countries. At that time, the Thai FDA confirmed that none of the cancer-linked batches were imported to Thailand.

In the EU, ethylene oxide was detected in sesame seeds from India in September 2020. More than half of the EU’s sesame comes from India. It is thought that ethylene oxide fumigation, used to stop the growth of salmonella bacteria during storage, has been common practice for years.

Eating affected ice cream does not pose an immediate health risk but there is an increased risk during continued consumption over a long period.

The FDA inspection found that those products named in the warnings had not been imported into Thailand, said Mr Weerachai. However, Jagota Brothers Trading Co, a local Haagen-Dazs importer owned by United States manufacturer General Mills, has recalled other batches and destroyed them.

The FDA and Samut Prakan public health office oversaw the incineration of the products. Consumers who have doubts about product safety can make inquiries or file complaints with the FDA hotline at 1556 or via Line @FDAThai, FDAThai Facebook account or send an email to 1556@fda.moph.go.th.