Nutella is facing the wrath of the Internet for one of its ingredients.
The Internet is metaphorically knocking at Ferrero‘s doorstep — maker of Nutella — demanding answers in regards to concerns that have spread through social media regarding the use of vanillin on the chocolate hazelnut spread.
Blog posts such as “Say no to Nutella, it is poisoning you and your children” are being shared by thousands on Facebook. The artificial ingredient vanillin is a neurotoxin that kills brain cells, the blog claims.
Vanillin is safe to consume, and there is no evidence it kills brain cells, according to the United Nations’ Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
“The use of vanillin as a food additive is approved by authorities worldwide,” according to an OECD report. “During the present reviewing of the available toxicity data for vanillin, no particular risk has been identified which should give reason to concern or additional toxicity testing in animals.”
Nutella is also facing backlash for its use of skim milk powder, soy lecithin (an emulsifier or lubricant), and palm oil. “Their soy lecithin alone is about as artificial as an emulsifier/preservative gets,” notes REALfarmacy.
Ferrero says it contains synthetic vanillin “which produces an aroma identical to the one naturally present in the vanilla pod” because “the production of vanilla pods is not enough to meet the escalating global demand.”
Back in June, the French minister claimed Nutella is harmful to the environment, eating her words and apologizing the following day.
Nutella says it obtains its palm oil comes from sustainable farms — a claim that is supported by the environmental group Greenpeace, according to Time.
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