EU Considering a Ban on Danish Cinnamon Rolls

The European Union is considering a ban on Danish cinnamon rolls, or kanelsnegler, after finding that they contain very high levels of cinnamon, which could prove to be harmful for the liver.

The 2008 EU regulations limited the amount of cinnamon to 5 and 50 milligrams per kilogram of food. The EU revealed that excess consumption of coumarin, a naturally occurring toxic chemical found in cassia cinnamon, could lead to liver damage.

A recent study conducted by Danish Food Administration has found that the amount of cinnamon in kanelsnegler exceeds the maximum limit. While Denmark can ignore the EU regulation, with EU countries allowed the freedom to retain certain food privileges for the sake of tradition, the government has gone ahead with plans to restrict cinnamon levels to 15 mg per kilogram of baked products.

The move has unsurprisingly drawn criticism from Danish bakers who say that it will be the end of cinnamon rolls as they know it. "Cinnamon rolls are of course a traditional Danish baked product. There is no point in limiting cinnamon. We have used it in Danish baking for as long as I can remember. It's the end of the cinnamon roll as we know it", Hardy Christensen, head of the Danish Baker's Association, said.



Source: Medindia