Vascular deposits by Becel pro activ

Food company admits that the margarine Becel pro.activ contains plant sterols, which leads to deposits in the vessels

21/08/2012

During the hearing before the district court Hamburg has, according to the consumer protection organization „Food Watch“ the manufacturer of cholesterol-lowering margarine „Becel pro.activ“ added that the margarine contains plant sterols, which can lead to deposits in the vessels.

During the process, the Hamburg court has the manufacturer of margarine „Becel pro.activ“ asked to provide a written explanation as to whether plant sterols lead to deposits in the vessels. The consumer organization had accused the food manufacturer of such references to side effects of „Becel pro.activ“ to deny (file reference: 324 O 64/12).

The company had claimed with quotations from a scientist, it would be at the designated margarine „From a scientific point of view, no indication“ to give side effects. However, a number of studies have in the past repeatedly suggested that the in „Becel pro.activ“ used plant sterols lead to deposits in the vessels. This could be followed by heart disease, which should actually be prevented by the product.

Federal Institute for Risk Assessment calls for reassessment
Also, the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) had demanded due to scientific investigations, „that the European Food Safety Authority EFSA should re-evaluate products containing plant sterols.“ Foodwatch's consumer advocates filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer on January 17 this year because, according to him „Food Watch“ the evidence of side effects „deny“ would.

During the trial, the presiding judge described the lawsuit as „borderline case“. Therefore, the Chamber passed over that the statement distributed by Unilever „as expression of opinion“ could be valued. But this was the target of Foodwatch thwarted. The initiative wanted the factual claim to be checked for truth. Nevertheless, the judges raised the question of the extent to which the food company itself assumed signs of side effects.

Unilever-Becel-pro.activ product manager Arne Kirchem had a post in the broadcast „Mirror TV“ said in April of this year: „The plant sterols that remain in the body, like cholesterol, will probably also be deposited in vessel walls. "This statement was also corroborated by the Group's legal representative during the hearing, but he considered that the deposits did not have any health consequences for consumers would lead.

Functional foods should be evaluated as medicines
For a long time, large corporations have been selling and developing so-called functional foods that are said to be beneficial to health. Time and again there are indications in a large number of products that they cause exactly the opposite. Independent of the end of the process demanded „Food Watch“ Now Unilever to offer the cholesterol-lowering margarine no longer free in the supermarket, but only on medical prescription in pharmacies to distribute. „Becel pro.activ is like a drug that people do uncontrollably tinkering with their blood levels - that has lost nothing in the supermarket“, as stated in a statement of consumer advocates. In addition, the group should „look not only at sales, but at the health of its customers.“ A loud foodwatch „ potentially risky product“ should undergo an authorization procedure under the law on medicinal products in order to ensure that it is consumed „only under medical supervision“, such a spokesman for food conservationists. A final verdict is expected for the 5th of October. (Sb)