Health risk: Authorities destroy massive batch of unsafe margarine
Over 10 tons of margarine, used for cake preparation, were destroyed by the National Food Safety Agency (ANSA) after analyses revealed it contained harmful substances.
The destruction of the batch was prompted by the detection of 3-monochloropropanediol (3-MCPD) and its fatty acid esters, which exceeded the maximum levels allowed by legislation. Specifically, the detected levels were 6,900 µg/kg for 3-MCPD and 1,700 µg/kg for its fatty acid esters, while the legal limit is 2,500 µg/kg, according to ANSA.
According to ANSA, 3-MCPD and its derivatives are process contaminants primarily formed during the high-temperature refining of vegetable oils and fats. Vegetable fats that exceed the permissible levels of these contaminants cannot be used as food ingredients and must not be mixed with compliant oils.
Operators are only permitted to use vegetable fats that meet the maximum contaminant limits set by food legislation. Consequently, the batch was detained by specialists and sent to a waste oil processing plant, where its properties were altered to ensure it could no longer be used in food products. All of these actions took place under the direct supervision of ANSA inspectors.
We remind you that the National Food Safety Agency annually collects over 10,000 samples from various products to help prevent potential food safety issues.
