Häagen-Dazs Vanilla Ice Cream Products Recalled After Detecting Cancer-Causing Substance
The Ministry of Health (MOH) made the decision to remove the products from the Malaysian market after receiving a notification from the European Union.
Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream products have been pulled from Malaysian shelves after they were found to contain high levels of ethylene oxide (ETO), a carcinogen used in fumigation
The announcement was made by the Ministry of Health (MOH) in a statement yesterday, 11 August.
According to Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, the decision to remove the products from the Malaysian market came after receiving a notification from the European Union Rapid Alerts Systems for Food and Feed.
The notification stated that the ice cream products were recalled in France because they contained vanilla extract from Madagascar.
The extract was found to contain ETO above the permitted level.
Image via AFP via New Straits Times
Noor Hisham explained that ETO is a chemical gas compound that is carcinogenic in nature. It's often used to kill pests, such as insects, in fumigation.
He said the cancer-causing substance is also an active ingredient in detergents, which is not allowed to be used on surfaces that come in contact with food.
"Since the matter was reported and the notification was received by the Ministry of Health in July 2022, the importing company has taken the appropriate action by voluntarily withdrawing the said ice cream products from the market," said the Health director-general.
"Continuous monitoring was also implemented to ensure that the products involved would not be marketed in the country."
If members of the public have any questions about the products being recalled, they can contact the nearest district health office, or make inquiries through the website here and the Food Safety and Quality Division Facebook page here.
Meanwhile, here are other products that are said to be carcinogenic:
Learn about the five most common cancers among Malaysian women here:
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