Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream withdrawn after ethylene oxide found

The health ministry announced on Sunday that a specific batch of Häagen-Dazs ice cream was being withdrawn from the market because it contains ethylene oxide, which is prohibited in the EU.

The alert concerns only one type of the ice cream – Plain vanilla in 460ml and 95ml tubs, and the bulk 9.5 litre container.

“It is clarified that the company is recalling only the above products and does not concern any other form/product or flavour of Häagen-Dazs products,” the ministry said.

Consumers who are in possession of the affected ice cream should avoid consuming it and return it to the shop they brought it from.

There have been several cases in the past year or two of food found to contain ethylene oxide, a disinfectant and pesticide said to be carcinogenic. In the EU, the use of ethylene oxide to disinfect foodstuffs is not permitted

During one food alert last summer, the Cypriot health ministry sought to clarify the situation regarding foodstuffs found to contain ethylene oxide, saying that trace amounts pose no direct danger to human health.

Late last year, the ministry was also left defending the use of the substance in Covid-19 tests.
Saying that the use of ethylene oxide in coronavirus rapid tests was monitored by “strict checks”, the health ministry said it was ready to investigate whether any laws were broken after a private lab test showed that a swab contained multiple times the permissible trace level of the toxic substance.

The ministry said the lab in question was not accredited to carry out tests on medical equipment, only on food items.

The analysis, seeking to establish levels of ethylene oxide in rapid-test swabs was carried out by Larnaca-based Food Allergens Lab on October 21, which had set the detection limit at 0.025 mg/kg. The swab was found to contain 0.36 mg/kg of ethylene oxide.

Ethylene oxide has been used worldwide for decades as a method of sterilising medical equipment designed to protect users from contamination with dangerous pathogenic microorganisms, the ministry said.

It added that the procedure was essential for the sterilisation of medical equipment and necessary for the protection of public health.

Ethylene oxide only “becomes dangerous” after long exposure in large quantity, it said.