The Environmental Health Directorate has warned that from information received through the operator, the ice cream products as below must not be eaten since these contain an ingredient which is potentially contaminated with Ethylene oxide.
Product Description Vanilla & Chocolate Swirl
Brand Milka Mini
Weight 6 x 50ml
Best Before Date 31/03/2023
Lot PL1084
Product Description Vanilla & Chocolate Swirl
Brand Milka
Weight 100ml
Best Before Date 31/01/2023
Lots MI1009031001, MI1009032501, MI1009032502, MI1009034501, MI1009034602, MI1009035801
Product Description Gelato al gusto cioccolato-miele con cioccolato
Brand Toblerone
Weight 6 x 50ml
Best Before Date 28/02/2023
Lot PL1042
The Directorate explained that Ethylene oxide is a pesticide that is not permitted for use in foods sold in the EU but is approved for use by other countries outside the EU.
“Although the consumption of the contaminated product does not pose an immediate risk to health, there is an increased risk if there is continued consumption of this chemical in contaminated foods over a long period of time,” it said.
“Therefore, exposure to ethylene oxide needs to be minimised as much as possible.”
This recall is also in line with common approach agreed on by member states, which can be viewed on https://ec.europa.eu/food/system/files/2021-07/rasff_ethylene-oxide-incident_e410_crisis-coord_sum.pdf [1]
For further information, the public is kindly requested to contact the Health Inspectorate Services between 8:00am and 2:30pm on telephone number 21337333 or by email mhi@gov.mt [2].