While touring a supermarket, it is not surprising to succumb to the charm and temptation of one of the many chocolate bars arranged on the shelves, especially if you have a little hollow or if you are in the mood To please you. However, some of these sweets have recently been the subject of a great scandal because they contained plastic. So what happened?
Plastic in Mars and Snickers chocolate bars
This scandal broke out early in 2016, specifically on January 8, when a German consumer filed a complaint for finding a piece of red plastic in his Snickers chocolate bar. Produced by Mars, considered a giant of the food industry, this chocolate bar as well as other confectionery manufactured by the same company were recalled in 55 countries around the world, including Germany, France, Spain, Belgium, Italy, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.
After an internal investigation to determine the cause of such an incident, it appeared that the chocolate bar concerned originated from the plant in Veghel in the Netherlands, the production of which was intended for export . As for the piece of red plastic, it would have detached itself from one of the protective filters used during the manufacturing process, to find itself inside the bar.
This incident, even though it is "isolated and strictly limited", according to a press release from the company, pushed the company, as a preventive measure, to recall markets all products from the factory where the incident occurred , And to invite all consumers who may be concerned to contact it directly by email or telephone.
The concerned products :
According to a statement from Mars britain , the products concerned by the recall are the following:
- Mars chocolate bars, whose expiry date (DLC) is between September 4 and October 18, 2016,
- Snickers chocolate bars whose DLC is between July 3 and August 21, 2016,
The packs of miniatures Mix tubo whose DLC is between July 10 and September 11, 2016
- Milky Way with a DLC between June 19 and August 21, 2016.
Other products have also been recalled in other countries.
An incident that recalls another
The Mars group has already been at the heart of the news, following another recall of its products, two years ago. As a matter of fact, in 2014, it had to remove from the shelves of the chocolate drinks bearing the names of Mars Milk, Milky Way Milk and Bounty Drink, manufactured by the German company Milchwerke Mittelebe GmbH, and sold in 350 ml bottles with sport stoppers . This decision was made following the discovery of the probable presence of a pathogenic bacterium called Bacillus Subtilis, which is not very virulent but may cause some health problems, including food poisoning.
Confectionery consumption: what impact on health?
Containing or not plastic, confectionery in general and chocolate bars in particular are very rich in fat, sugar and chemicals (dyes, preservatives, additives ...) which present a real danger to health. In addition to promoting oral health problems such as the onset of caries, which are predominantly eaten by sugar, consumption of these products increases the risk of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
It is therefore recommended to turn to healthier natural alternatives, such as seasonal fruits, dried fruits and homemade sweets made from natural sweeteners (honey, stevia, maple syrup, etc.).