A traditional smoked pork sausage from Brittany, in western France, faces an uncertain future because of a dispute over food safety rules. Its characteristic flavor comes from smoking it over beechwood. However, this process produces substances called PAHs, which may cause cancer. European Union rules set limits on these substances in food.
Producer Benoît Rivalan says he uses protective covers during smoking that catch 80% of the PAHs while keeping the flavor. Testing requirements have also become a problem. Producers previously tested sausages without their skin, but French authorities now require the whole product to be tested because people eat the skin too. The results show much higher PAH levels when the skin is included.
EU countries can request exceptions for certain traditional smoked products, and several have already received them. France has not applied. Political leaders in Brittany are urging the French government to act, arguing that food safety and traditional methods both deserve attention. Rivalan has already reduced production by 30% and cut his workforce because he fears his business could be ordered to close.
