NGO warns of insecticide traces in Nutella and honey, urges swift action

A French environmental NGO, Agir pour l'environnement, has raised concerns over the presence of neonicotinoid insecticides in popular food products, including Nutella and several types of honey. The NGO's report indicates that eight different neonicotinoids, with acetamiprid being the most concentrated residue in many samples, were found in all twelve analyzed products.

These insecticides, banned in France since 2018 due to their toxicity, particularly to bees, are also prohibited across the European Union, with the exception of acetamiprid, which is authorized until 2033. Agir pour l'environnement analyzed ten honeys, seven of which were imported, and found traces of insecticides in all of them. Mixed-origin honeys showed the highest contamination levels, ranging from 700 to 5,400 nanograms per kilogram (ng/kg) of six different neonicotinoids.

In comparison, two organic French honeys tested had significantly lower levels, at 7 and 163 ng/kg. Nutella, in both its classic and plant-based versions, also contained eight neonicotinoids, with concentrations of 480 and 850 ng/kg respectively. Ferrero, the manufacturer of Nutella, responded that the presence of traces does not constitute a health risk and that the product adheres to strict manufacturing standards and food safety regulations.

Despite the measured concentrations being well below the European Union's limit for acetamiprid in honey (0.3 mg/kg), Agir pour l'environnement is urging public authorities to "act without delay." The NGO is calling for a European moratorium on these toxic substances and is demanding that manufacturers review their production processes to guarantee neonicotinoid-free products for consumers.

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fabriqués selon des normes strictes et sont pleinement conformes à toutes les réglementations applicables en matière de sécurité alimentaire