Unterhaching / Berlin. Mars Group has recalled several types of ice cream from sale in Germany contaminated with the carcinogenic ethylene oxide (ETO). Snickers, Bounty, Twix and M&M’s products are affected. According to a statement issued by the manufacturer, today, Tuesday, the consumption of types of ice cream is not harmful, as very small amounts of the component (locust gum) are used in the products. ETO content in finished ice cream products is minimal.
Initially, there was no recall of the products in Germany, while they were withdrawn from sale in Sweden, Austria and Romania, for example. Foodwatch food watchers have already warned that the so-called Snickers Ice Cream from food manufacturer Mars contains the cancer-causing ethylene oxide. However, in Germany, food keepers continued to find packages bearing the affected batch number on supermarket shelves.
Mars “voluntarily” recalls its products in Germany
“Carcinogens have no place in our food. It is unacceptable that Mars protects people in other countries better than it does in Germany,” said Oliver Huizinga, campaign manager at Foodwatch. The carcinogenic substance may pose a health hazard.
“After a thorough investigation, we initially decided not to take the products out of sale in Germany, as the ice cream products in question are safe for consumption,” the Mars Group announced.
As a company, you follow the recommendation of the responsible authority in each EU Member State. For Germany, there is still no uniform assessment by the relevant authorities of the sixteen federal states, the assessment of which is crucial in this case. However, Mars has now recalled the products. “In order to address the uncertainty among consumers, we have decided that voluntary recall of products is the best course of action.”
According to the Mars Group, the following products are affected:
Snickers Ice Cream Bar, 6 Packs
- EAN Number / GTIN Number: 5000159344081
- Best used before appointments: 10/31/2022; 11/30/2022; 01/31/2023; 02/28/2023; March 31, 2023; 04/30/2023
Snickers Ice Cream Bar, Single
- EAN Number / GTIN Number: 5000159460873
- Best used before appointments: 10/31/2022; 11/30/2022; December 31, 2022; 01/31/2023; March 31, 2023; 04/30/2023
Snickers Crisp Ice Cream Bar, 6 Packs
- EAN Number / GTIN Number: 5000159526074
- Preferably use before appointments: 30/11/2022; December 31, 2022; 02/28/2023; 04/30/2023
Snickers Crisp Ice Cream, Single
- EAN Number / GTIN Number: 5000159526128
- Preferably use before appointments: 30/11/2022; December 31, 2022; 02/28/2023; 04/30/2023
Snickers White Ice Cream Bar, 6 Boxes
- EAN Number / GTIN Number: 5000159509626
- Best before date: December 31, 2022; 02/28/2023; March 31, 2023
Snickers White Ice Cream Bar, Single
- EAN Number / GTIN Number: 5000159509664
- Best before date: December 31, 2022; 02/28/2023
Bounty Ice Cream Bar, 6 Pack
- EAN Number / GTIN Number: 5000159483056
- Preferably use before appointments: 02/28/2022; March 31, 2022; 04/30/2022; December 31, 2022; 02/28/2023; March 31, 2023; 04/30/2023
Bounty Ice Cream Bar, Single
- EAN Number / GTIN Number: 5000159483032
- Preferably use before appointments: 02/28/2022; 04/30/2022; 10/31/2022; December 31, 2022; 02/28/2023; 04/30/2023
Twix Ice Cream Bar, 6 Packs
- EAN Number / GTIN Number: 5000159484688
- Best used before appointments: 10/31/2022; December 31, 2022; 02/28/2023; March 31, 2023; 04/30/2023
Twix Ice Cream Bar, Single
- EAN Number / GTIN Number: 5000159484633
- Preferably use before appointments: 03/31/2022; 04/30/2022; December 31, 2022; 02/28/2023; 04/30/2023
M&M’s Choco Ice Cream Stick Stieleis, Single
- EAN Number / GTIN Number: 5000159509367
- Preferably used before the appointment: 01/31/2023
M&M’s Peanut Ice Cream Stiles, Single
- EAN Number / GTIN Number: 5000159509343
- Preferably use before appointments: 08/31/2021; October 31, 2021; May 31, 2022; 07/31/2022
The company states that consumers who have purchased an affected product and still have it in stock can contact the group consumer service with product data and package photos including the best date before that at mars.de/kontakt.