Nutella may contain cancer-causing ingredients, study finds

By Park Sae-jin Posted : January 12, 2017, 15:35 Updated : January 12, 2017, 15:35

Nutella's velvety smooth texture was created with palm oil.[Courtesy of Pixabay]


This is a very unfortunate story for all Nutella lovers out there. If you read the ingredients of Nutella on its bottle, you would already know that the heavenly hazelnut and cocoa spread contains palm oil. The oil is used to create its famously smooth and velvety texture. 

A study conducted by European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) found that palm oil can turn to cancer-causing liquid when it is processed at the high temperature of about 200℃ (392℉). When the temperature exceeds a certain level, the carcinogens -- glycidyl fatty acid esters, 3-monochloropropanediol and 2-monochloropropanediol -- were found in certain types of vegetable oils, but the highest level of these substance was discovered in palm oil and palm fat. 

[Courtesy of Nutella/ Ferrero]


Though EFSA did not directly call Nutella out, palm oil is a crucial ingredient in Nutella. The Nutella maker, Ferrero, is getting ready to fight this claim. Ferrero, an Italy-based confectionary company, is the world's third-largest chocolate manufacturer. Nutella makes up about a fifth of Ferrero's total sales revenue estimated at 9.54 billion Euro (10.1 billion US dollars).

Nutella is not the only processed goods that will be targeted with this study as there are other processed foods like ice cream, packaged bread, and margarine that contain palm oil.

The study could leave many Nutella lovers confused, especially the parents who would wonder if their kids should be given Nutella.
 
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