EU's bacon-flavoured crisps ban: The truth behind the viral claim
A post on platform X about the European Union planning to ban the production and sale of bacon-flavoured crisps caused enormous commotion. Some people believed this "information" without any reflection. However, it turns out it is fake news with no basis in truth. And that is excellent news.
Some internet users were outraged, reading on platform X that the European Union banned bacon-flavoured crisps.
Do you like bacon-flavoured crisps? You'll have to get used to not having them because the European Union is banning them - conveyed a certain anonymous internet user.
These words were accompanied by a screenshot of text from one of the websites. It shows a picture of shelves with crisps and the caption: "The EU has made a decision. Favourite snacks will vanish from store shelves".
The post went viral. Internet users started to storm. "Someone tell me that the EU is freedom"; "Maybe we need to leave the Union because soon we won't be able to eat anything"; "All bans, they are worse than commies and Kim" - they wrote.
Someone else asked why it specifically targeted bacon-flavoured crisps. "Because they contain an aroma that will be banned," replied the post's author.
Will bacon-flavoured crisps disappear? Here's the truth
Vigilant internet users also clarified that the post's author was not entirely right.
"They are not banning crisps, only harmful chemical aromas that are added to this stuff"; "It's not so much the crisps disappearing but this extremely chemical and supposedly carcinogenic smoke flavour ;) From all products ;) So bacon-flavoured sticks, smoke-flavoured cheese-like products and others will also disappear"; "Not just bacon-flavoured crisps, 8 artificial smoke flavours are being withdrawn, so a lot of other things will disappear too," - they explained.
The quoted people were on the right track. It is about withdrawing smoke aromas from the EU market, which are used, for example, in producing such crisps.
Based on available scientific evidence, EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) experts informed that there are concerns about the genotoxicity of these eight aromas. A genotoxic substance is one that can damage DNA in cells - as we read on konkret24.tvn24.pl.
Bacon-flavoured crisps can still be available in stores, but producers must ensure safe ways to give them a smoky flavour. Those who produce aromas have time to create safe smoke aromas.
Fake news, however, immediately went viral.
