No more palm oil in foods. This is the decision of Coop, which, anticipating any evaluation by national and European health authorities, has established the elimination of tropical fat from all its branded products, 220 references.
Coop’s choice is the first strong and concrete signal to emerge after the publication of the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) dossier, according to which palm fat contains carcinogenic and genotoxic contaminants, especially dangerous to children and adolescents, who consume large quantities of it. “Hidden” in snacks, cookies, crackers, ready meals, and lots of packaged foods, palm oil is even in infant formula.
Following strong consumer opposition to the rampant presence of palm oil in foods Coop had already initiated its elimination from branded products.
Now, the radical choice. “Following the publication of the EFSA dossier that highlights the presence of some contaminating compounds in palm oil, the consumption of which with important percentages is not recommended especially for children and adolescents, Health Minister Beatrice Lorenzin has asked the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis to initiate an urgent and thorough verification. Based on these new elements Coop, consistent with the ‘precautionary principle’ it has always applied, has suspended production of its own brand products containing palm oil,” Coop says.
For the 220 Coop-branded products, production was immediately suspended so that the recipes could be reformulated by replacing palm oil, and favoring the use of extra virgin olive oil or single-seeded oils.
Italy’s leading retail store brand had already replaced palm in more than 100 major Coop-branded products, such as those in the “Crescendo” and “Club 4-10” children’s lines, as well as products in the “Viviverde” line and the Solidal Coop cream spread.
New recipes will be implemented quickly. While waiting, Coop warns, “The replacement of palm oil in the remaining 120 branded products will take place in the coming months. We therefore apologize to customers and members for temporary shortages of some products in our stores.”
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