Several batches of Haagen-Dazs products marked and sealed over pesticide concerns

Several batches of Haagen-Dazs ice cream products exported in Hong Kong that may contain pesticides were marked and sealed by the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) on Saturday. The affected batches of the products are stored inside a warehouse and have not entered the local market.

CFS declared earlier that two kinds of Häagen-Dazs ice cream products imported from France stopped sales and were removed from shelves since they might be contaminated with a pesticide, ethylene oxide, which was not authorized by the European Union.

Haagen-Dazs apologized for the doubts caused to customers by the incident, emphasizing that food quality and safety are the primary consideration, and its products do not use ethylene oxide.

Ethylene oxide has been classified as group one by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, meaning the chemical is carcinogenic to humans. Exposure can cause headaches, nausea, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, and other problems, while long-term exposure can cause cancer in humans.

The newly announced batches involved include:

Vanilla Caramel Brownie Ice Cream (9.46 liters) with a best-before date of May 29, 2023;  

Belgian Chocolate & Strawberry Ice Cream Family pack (420ml) with a best-before date of June 15, 2023;  

Vanilla & Rasberry Ice Cream Family pack (420ml) and bar (95ml) with a best-before date of May 26 and May 22, 2023, respectively;

Milk Tea with brown sugar and Vanilla Ice Cream in Family Pack (420ml), Mini Cup (95ml), and bar (80ml) with a best-before date of June 1, 16, and June 4, 2023, respectively;

Vanilla & Mango Passionfruit ice cream mini cup (95ml) with a best-before date of May 27 and June 20, 2023;  

Vanilla Caramel Almond Ice Cream bar (80 ml) with a best-before date of May 30, 31, and June 1, 4, 5, 26, 2023.