Albert Heijn warns about Verstegen bay leaves: contains ethylene oxide
Albert Heijn has issued an important safety warning: Verstegen is recalling several products containing bay leaves. What’s going on?
Bay leaves are typically one of those ingredients people think add no real value in the kitchen. I’m not a fan of dried bay leaves myself (although they’re delicious in this garlic dip), but fresh, undried bay leaves, which have a much stronger flavor, are an important flavoring ingredient in soups, stews and sauces, such as in this dish of BBQ pork cheeks.
A bag of bay leaves is often ridiculously expensive: the price per kilo can easily range from six to 850 euros. Even silver is cheaper! (You can read here why bay leaves are so expensive).
Removed from stores: Verstegen bay leaves
Verstegen is now recalling several products containing bay leaves. An analysis found ethylene oxide in a batch of bay leaves. At Albert Heijn, this concerns 7 products containing Verstegen bay leaves.
The products concerned are:
- Verstegen packet of minced meat mix with onions 10×40 grams, best-before date 30-6-2024
- Verstegen bay leaves 12×4 grams, best-before dates 31-12-2024, 31-3-2025 and 29-6-2025
- Verstegen ground bay leaf shaker 6×25 grams, best-before date 8-6-2025
- Verstegen glass jar of bay leaves 3×10 grams, best-before date 30-6-2025
- Verstegen pickling spices 14×5 grams, best-before date 30-6-2025
- Verstegen packet of macaroni and spaghetti mix 10×35 grams, best-before date 30-6-2025
- Verstegen packet of endive mix 11×10 grams, best-before date 30-6-2025
Ethylene oxide
Ethylene oxide has various applications. It is often used as a disinfectant against bacteria and fungi. In the European Union, however, ethylene oxide is not permitted for use as a pesticide in food. Ethylene oxide is also found in products containing the thickening agent locust bean gum (E number: E410), such as ice cream, crackers and dressings. Since September 2020, countless food products have been recalled after being found to contain excessive amounts of ethylene oxide. Ethylene oxide is only harmful if you have consumed large quantities over several years.
If you have one of these products at home, you can return it without a receipt to the customer service desk at an Albert Heijn store. You will be refunded the purchase price.
Also read:
- Tested: this is the tastiest (and nastiest!) egg salad from the supermarket
- Only in Germany: sushi with sausage
- It has been researched: eating sushi makes you smarter
Image: Albert Heijn, source: Albert Heijn, Netherlands Nutrition Centre
