Evangelos Lazos, the head of Greece’s food safety body, has resigned amid criticism that the agency has failed to protect consumers from “toxic” Ukrainian sunflower oil.
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“Mr Lazos has stepped aside,” a spokesperson for the Greek Development Ministry’s Hellenic Food Authority (EFET) told just-food today (21 May).
At the beginning of May, various brands of Ukrainian sunflower oil were recalled after it was discovered that the oil had been contaminated by mineral oil in March.
Announcing the recall, the EFET described the contaminated oil as “carcinogenic” and “toxic”.
The Greek food safety authorities have come under heavy criticism for failing to act quickly enough to protect consumers.
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By GlobalDataThe EFET confirmed that the recall was expanded yesterday. “In the interest of public safety we have now recalled sunflower oil from the Ukraine sold in all quantities,” the agency said.
In April, the French and Spanish authorities detected contaminated Ukrainian sunflower oil. The European Food Safety Authority is now investigating the case.
