A traditional smoked pork sausage from Brittany, western France, is at the centre of a food safety dispute. Its characteristic flavour comes from smoking over beechwood. However, the process produces substances called PAHs, which may cause cancer. EU rules limit their presence in food, creating a challenge for producers who want to preserve the traditional method.
French authorities now require tests on the whole sausage because consumers also eat its skin. Previously, producers tested it without the skin. Producer Benoît Rivalan says the change raised measured PAH levels from 6–8 micrograms to 120–150 micrograms, compared with a limit of 12. He uses a protective covering during smoking and says it captures 80% of PAHs while keeping the flavour.
EU law allows exceptions for certain traditional smoked products, but France has not requested one. Politicians in Brittany are urging the government to apply, and the European Commission says it can still do so. Meanwhile, Rivalan fears closure. He has reduced production by 30% and cut his workforce from 19 people to 14.
