Unfortunately, the report about Nutella giving people cancer didn't just come from a hoax site. It actually originated from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), a highly reputable food regulatory organization that is the European counterpart of the Food and Drug Administration in the US. But what people really need to know about the current issue revolving around Nutella.
First and foremost, EFSA's report didn't exactly state Nutella as cancer-causing food product but rather one of the main ingredients used in it which is palm oil. According to the people behind Nutella, palm oil heightens the flavor of the product and is also responsible for its creamy texture. So mostly everything people love about Nutella is because of the palm oil. Naturally, palm oil isn't really dangerous but according to EFSA, it's what happens when it is heated to high temperatures that should have people careful. According to TODAY, when palm oil is heated at above 200 degrees Celsius it can form a carcinogenic contaminant which wouldn't be good for the human body.
However, as to what extent this carcinogenic contaminant is formed and how much of it is dangerous to consume is still unknown as the science behind all of it is still very vague. Furthermore, EFSA didn't recommend banning the use of palm oil in food production and while there are some food manufacturing companies that have strayed away from the use of palm oil, Nutella reiterated in a report published by Reuters that the palm oil they use for their products is heated at a controlled condition below 200 C.
So the news regarding Nutella's cancer causing properties are just a way to scare people from buying the product. It should be noted that most of the processed food that people eat nowadays, specifically processed meat, has a 5 percent chance of causing cancer but then again, that could happen to anyone. Lastly, smoking is still more likely to kill any person more than Nutella can. If there is something that people should be worried about Nutella, it's the sugar and the possibility of developing diabetes because it is 56 percent sugar. Way too much sugar.
