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Ethylene oxide in xanthan gum used in functional mixtures of additives

Classification
Alert notification
Risk
Serious
Category
food additives and flavourings
Origin
Ireland *** Sweden *** United Kingdom
Notifier
France
🗄
Archived (older alert)
This alert was reported 1766 days ago and has been moved from our active feed to the archive. The original safety information still applies — we have no confirmation from the issuing agency that the product is safe again. Refer to the official notice for the current status.
📈 Timeline
0 days in total
May 17, 2026 May 17, 2026
Daily snapshot data starts accumulating once the scheduler runs — for now this is interpolated from the agency's first/last dates.

What is this? Xanthan gum is a thickener used in some foods. A small amount of ethylene oxide, a chemical, was found in some batches.

What's happening? Some xanthan gum products may have unsafe levels of ethylene oxide. These batches were sold in many countries.

Does this affect me? If you bought foods with thickeners or additives, you might be affected. Check labels for xanthan gum.

What should I do? Stop eating the product if you find it. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you feel unwell.

🤖 This plain-language summary is automatically generated from the official agency notice using AI. It is for general information only — not medical advice. For decisions about your health, always consult a pharmacist or doctor and read the official source linked below.

🔬 Medical / technical details (for professionals)
Agency-published detail

Classification: Alert notification · Risk: Serious · Category: food additives and flavourings · Origin: Ireland *** Sweden *** United Kingdom · Notifier: France

First published
September 27, 2021
Last refreshed by us
2 months ago
Severity (as classified)
High
Official source
https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/rasff-window/screen/search?notificationReference=2021.5142

All information on this page comes from the official agency notice. We translate and summarise it; we don't add or edit facts.

Related alerts

❓ Frequently asked questions

What is this product recall alert about?
Ethylene oxide in xanthan gum used in functional mixtures of additives. Classification: Alert notification · Risk: Serious · Category: food additives and flavourings · Origin: Ireland *** Sweden *** United Kingdom · Notifier: France
When was this alert issued?
This alert was issued on September 27, 2021 by EU RASFF.
Which countries are affected?
The alert applies to the following countries: France, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, EGYPT, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, ISRAEL, Latvia, LEBANON, Lithuania, MOLDOVA, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, SERBIA, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, SYRIA, TüRKIYE, United Kingdom, and UNITED KINGDOM (NORTHERN.
How serious is this alert?
Serious risk. A serious risk means the product or medicine can cause significant harm. Treat the alert as urgent.
What should I do?
If you have this product at home, stop using it and return it to the point of purchase for a refund. Keep the receipt if you have one — most retailers refund without it for safety recalls.
Where can I find the official notice?
The full official notice is published on webgate.ec.europa.eu.

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⚠️ We aggregate official notices. We do not give medical advice. For medical or legal decisions, consult the source agency and a qualified professional.