BBC News School Report @ LCS

We advise that consumers eat a healthy, balanced and healthy diet to lower the risk

an FSA spokesperson

It has been found that any products including processed/refined palm oil has the chance of giving anyone cancer. Discovered on Wednesday 11th January, many fans of the chocolate spread have been caused shock. The owner of Nutella - Ferrero SpA - disagrees with these claims. Since the claim, Nutella’s profits have taken a 3% decrease.

On Wednesday 11th January, it was found that palm oil can cause cancer due to there being three ingredients in it: glycidyl fatty acid esters (GE), 3-monochloropropanediol (3-MCPD), and 2-monochloropropanediol (2-MCPD). According to the EFSA study, these contaminants are found in vegetable oil but palm oil contains particularly high quantities. They aren’t in raw oils but are produced when oils are refined at around 200oC. This is a routine part of making processed foods; it is done with palm oils to remove its smell and to eliminate its deep orange colour.

The EFSA reviewed previous scientific studies and found that repeated exposure to GE can damage the genetic information in rats or mice. 3-MCPD is toxic to the animals’ kidneys and posed risks to the male reproductive system. The EFSA have said: ‘There is not enough information to make a reliable conclusion on 2-NCPD’s health impacts,’ as reported by The Independent.

Even though there are claims of Nutella being able to cause cancer, Ferrero has assured members of the public that the palm they use in Nutella is safe to eat.

A girl from Littleover Community School (a lover of Nutella) has said: ‘I love Nutella because it’s so tasty and melts in your mouth. Although I love Nutella, I don’t believe Ferrero because you can’t get different palm oil to other companies. However I will continue to eat Nutella as there isn’t any physical evidence that someone has eaten Nutella and gotten cancer only from it.’

The manufacturers would use different oils, however palm oil is the cheapest oil in the market and any substitute oils simply are too highly priced. If these oils were used, it would be an extra £18 million per year, however these figures have not been confirmed by Ferrero himself. Alongside this, changing the recipe could potentially add further costs as well as changing the recipe to ensure that it remains as true to the original version as possible. The company said using palm oil means it avoids using a fat which needs to be hydrogenated, producing harmful "trans fats". It also shows the environmental benefits of palm oil which claims that it uses 5 times less land than alternatives.

To minimise the risk of gaining cancer from palm oil, it is suggested that people should reduce exposure to the products containing the oil such as: pastries, cakes, margarines, many chocolates and more. ‘We advise that consumers eat a healthy, balanced and varied diet to balance the risk,’ an FSA spokesperson said to the Independent.

A girl from Littleover Community School who is a hater of Nutella has said this: ‘I hate Nutella as it tastes disgusting! My opinion on whether Ferrero is lying or not differentiates as there is no proof that Nutella can actually cause cancer so from this view, I do believe Ferrero’s claim’