Spanish olive oil products withdrawal - Brief Article

Eurofood, August 2, 2001

With Spanish olive oil products currently under scrutiny, the UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA) has called for the withdrawal of fat spreads and dressing containing Spanish olive from sale.

The Spanish government, and subsequently several EU member states banned Spanish olive oil products, after it was discovered they could be dangerous.

High levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH's) which could cause cancer, were detected in Spanish olive oil at the beginning of July.

NO WIDESPREAD EFFECT

The FSA has however added that the recall of Spanish olive oil-based products will not affect many consumers.

Only around 0.1% of the one million tonnes of vegetable oil consumed in the UK every year originates from Spanish olive oils.

Olive oil products from other nations are not affected by the recall.