Knorr taken off the shelves by Foodwatch

Foodwatch has taken Knorr bouillon cubes off the shelves in several European countries. The NGO claims that the products are contaminated with carcinogenic mineral oils.

Campaigning since 2015

Those looking for Knorr bouillon cubes in supermarkets in Germany, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands may find themselves faced with an empty shelf. The consumer organisation Foodwatch has started to remove the products from stores. According to the food watchdog, some bouillon cubes are contaminated with potentially toxic mineral oils.

Members of the organisation buy up the stocks in shops themselves, recplacing them with an information sheet. A petition and media campaign calls for the use of mineral oils to be banned throughout the EU. Foodwatch demands a zero-tolerance rule for mineral oil contamination in all food categories, both in the product itself and in its packaging.

The action follows a new sample test at the end of last year, the third since 2015, in which 19 food products in different European countries were alleged to contain too much aromatic mineral oil (MOAH). As the Knorr bouillon cubes from Unilever were found to be contaminated in most countries, the symbolic action focuses on this specific product. In total, 152 products were tested.

Monitored, not banned

Originally, an official recall was only organised by the government in France as a result of the report, which led Foodwatch to take matters into its own hands. Meanwhile, the Belgian and Luxembourg authorities have also officially recalled some of the contaminated products, such as Lea Nature in Belgium and a Delhaize product in Belgium and Luxembourg.

In 2017, the European Commission said it would monitor the use of mineral oil hydrocarbons in the food sector, but did not ban their use. Unilever is therefore not too fussed about Foodwatch’s action, LebensmittelZeitung reports, insisting that the products are healthy and in line with the rules.