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Sunflower oil replacement.
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Due to the war in Ukraine, sunflower oil is in short supply.Food suppliers are using r apeseed oil in their products as a replacement. Even if the ingredients are listed as sunflower oil. They have been given the green light to do this by the FSA.
Many people have allergies & sensitivity to this oil and suffer from irritation of eyes, respiratory problems and skin rashes.
Almost everything on the shelves at supermarkets seems to use this oil at the moment. Shopping is becoming impossible if you need to avoid this type of oil.
Does a a by one else suffer with this? |
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"There's some on the shelves obviously gone up in price"
Yes, but it’s no good when all your favourite foods have had sunflower oil replaced with r*peseed oil and you he ave allergies to the latter!
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Many oils are blends, I feel for you if you can't get what you like/need easily. Personally I switched to 100% r apeseed recently, as you can get 100% British oil that way, and with many dishes you can't tell the differences, although sometimes it can taste a little earthier. It's worth a try if you don't have an allergy, which admittedly most won't, but not all. |
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"You are right, it doesn't seem right that they can do this with regards to labelling  "
Yes, apparently it’s been dove as an emergency measure to save the food producers having to re-label the packaging. Although many have re-labelled. McDonald’s have notices in store, as do Greggs. |
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"Many oils are blends, I feel for you if you can't get what you like/need easily. Personally I switched to 100% r apeseed recently, as you can get 100% British oil that way, and with many dishes you can't tell the differences, although sometimes it can taste a little earthier. It's worth a try if you don't have an allergy, which admittedly most won't, but not all."
The allergy is the problem. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"You are right, it doesn't seem right that they can do this with regards to labelling
Yes, apparently it’s been dove as an emergency measure to save the food producers having to re-label the packaging. Although many have re-labelled. McDonald’s have notices in store, as do Greggs. "
I guess it's like when free range eggs were unavailable for a while earlier in the year. Not having it is one thing, having to pass on the costs of re-packaging/labelling/ so the replacement is even more expensive is indeed a pain, but better than having nothing for a week while they they that and then charge you for it. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"The allergy is the problem.
Good luck trying to get fabs to understand the problem 
I sympathise. All I can suggest is protesting to the FSA or contacting manufacturers directly. "
Protest what? They can't get sunflower oil where there is none...
From the couple of minutes' research I've just done on this it looks like manufacturers are required to print info about substitute oils on their packaging, so as long as they inform consumers they're not really doing anything protest-worthy.
It's annoying for people like OP, I do agree. Have you tried making your own versions of these foods? Or checking if substitute brands are still using safer oils? |
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"The allergy is the problem.
Good luck trying to get fabs to understand the problem
I sympathise. All I can suggest is protesting to the FSA or contacting manufacturers directly. "
To be fair, I’m just not buying the products and only buying what I am sure has no oil added. It’s a minefield though, it’s even in bread! |
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"The allergy is the problem.
Good luck trying to get fabs to understand the problem
I sympathise. All I can suggest is protesting to the FSA or contacting manufacturers directly.
To be fair, I’m just not buying the products and only buying what I am sure has no oil added. It’s a minefield though, it’s even in bread!"
That must be tough... Tough enough when the labels are correct... Let alone when they are inaccurate |
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"The allergy is the problem.
Good luck trying to get fabs to understand the problem
I sympathise. All I can suggest is protesting to the FSA or contacting manufacturers directly.
Protest what? They can't get sunflower oil where there is none...
From the couple of minutes' research I've just done on this it looks like manufacturers are required to print info about substitute oils on their packaging, so as long as they inform consumers they're not really doing anything protest-worthy.
It's annoying for people like OP, I do agree. Have you tried making your own versions of these foods? Or checking if substitute brands are still using safer oils? "
I agree, I’m not blaming the manufacturers, I’m just highlighting the problems that are caused because of it.
I am making my own food where I know exactly what’s added. Eating out on the other hand is a non starter. |
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"Due to the war in Ukraine, sunflower oil is in short supply.Food suppliers are using r apeseed oil in their products as a replacement. Even if the ingredients are listed as sunflower oil. They have been given the green light to do this by the FSA.
Many people have allergies & sensitivity to this oil and suffer from irritation of eyes, respiratory problems and skin rashes.
Almost everything on the shelves at supermarkets seems to use this oil at the moment. Shopping is becoming impossible if you need to avoid this type of oil.
Does a a by one else suffer with this? "
If you get an allergic reaction to a product where sunflower oil has been replaced by r@peseed, and it's not marked on the labelling, then the company needs suing into oblivion. If the company will not even add a warning sticker over the normal label, then they should be liable for all injury caused - this could potentially kill people. Pretty sure that this would be absolutely illegal under EU regulations. But then maybe it's a brexit benefit, that our FSA no longer requires any safety standards for food? |
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https://foodmatterslive.com/article/sunflower-oil-shortages-rapeseed-oil-labelling-fsa-fss/
Please see the link for what the FSA said. It’s dated earlier in the year, so may have been superseded now. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I guess it's like when free range eggs were unavailable for a while earlier in the year.
Not really, no.
You can’t have an allergy to whether chickens are kept indoors or not. "
True, but I was talking about the labelling aspect, as well you know. |
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"https://foodmatterslive.com/article/sunflower-oil-shortages-rapeseed-oil-labelling-fsa-fss/
Please see the link for what the FSA said. It’s dated earlier in the year, so may have been superseded now."
It is scandalous that the FSA didn't instantly name names and start proceedings against offenders. Given that it must be possible to get sticky labels printed for popping onto the outside of the packaging within a matter of hours, at a price point of tiny fractions of a penny per label.
Changing essential ingredients like this does not just happen by accident, in an instant. Somebody has to deliberately make a decision, orders have to be made for the replacement ingredient, purchasing has to be authorised by financial departments, supplies of the new ingredient have to be received into stores and loaded into production machinery. This cannot happen in a moment. If the company cannot be arsed to get their act together with a warning label, then they should be held responsible for any injury caused no matter how small. And it should be the responsibility of our FSA to ensure that safety standards are followed; if a company is found not to follow standards such as this, then the FSA should name, shame, and if necessary withdraw their licence to produce foodstuffs. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"The allergy is the problem.
Good luck trying to get fabs to understand the problem
I sympathise. All I can suggest is protesting to the FSA or contacting manufacturers directly.
Protest what? They can't get sunflower oil where there is none...
From the couple of minutes' research I've just done on this it looks like manufacturers are required to print info about substitute oils on their packaging, so as long as they inform consumers they're not really doing anything protest-worthy.
It's annoying for people like OP, I do agree. Have you tried making your own versions of these foods? Or checking if substitute brands are still using safer oils?
I agree, I’m not blaming the manufacturers, I’m just highlighting the problems that are caused because of it.
I am making my own food where I know exactly what’s added. Eating out on the other hand is a non starter."
I'm sure you can still eat out... Restaurants are rigorous about allergies since Natasha's law was passed, and have to either omit or offer a substitute. I'm sure every kitchen has at least some olive oil on hand  |
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"The allergy is the problem.
Good luck trying to get fabs to understand the problem
I sympathise. All I can suggest is protesting to the FSA or contacting manufacturers directly.
Protest what? They can't get sunflower oil where there is none...
From the couple of minutes' research I've just done on this it looks like manufacturers are required to print info about substitute oils on their packaging, so as long as they inform consumers they're not really doing anything protest-worthy.
It's annoying for people like OP, I do agree. Have you tried making your own versions of these foods? Or checking if substitute brands are still using safer oils?
I agree, I’m not blaming the manufacturers, I’m just highlighting the problems that are caused because of it.
I am making my own food where I know exactly what’s added. Eating out on the other hand is a non starter.
I'm sure you can still eat out... Restaurants are rigorous about allergies since Natasha's law was passed, and have to either omit or offer a substitute. I'm sure every kitchen has at least some olive oil on hand "
I'd stick to chain restaurants because my own experience of "local" restaurants is that many don't know or change suppliers frequently to obtain cheapest price and, as the case of Pret a Manger proves, suppliers don't always know what's in their food either.
I don't imagine people who don't have food allergies will understand. We're not talking about minor tummy upset or discomfort. Food allergy can cause death within minutes, if someone experiences an anaphylactic reaction. It's serious, it's not faddy eating etc. |
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"The allergy is the problem.
Good luck trying to get fabs to understand the problem
I sympathise. All I can suggest is protesting to the FSA or contacting manufacturers directly.
Protest what? They can't get sunflower oil where there is none...
From the couple of minutes' research I've just done on this it looks like manufacturers are required to print info about substitute oils on their packaging, so as long as they inform consumers they're not really doing anything protest-worthy.
It's annoying for people like OP, I do agree. Have you tried making your own versions of these foods? Or checking if substitute brands are still using safer oils?
I agree, I’m not blaming the manufacturers, I’m just highlighting the problems that are caused because of it.
I am making my own food where I know exactly what’s added. Eating out on the other hand is a non starter.
I'm sure you can still eat out... Restaurants are rigorous about allergies since Natasha's law was passed, and have to either omit or offer a substitute. I'm sure every kitchen has at least some olive oil on hand
I'd stick to chain restaurants because my own experience of "local" restaurants is that many don't know or change suppliers frequently to obtain cheapest price and, as the case of Pret a Manger proves, suppliers don't always know what's in their food either.
I don't imagine people who don't have food allergies will understand. We're not talking about minor tummy upset or discomfort. Food allergy can cause death within minutes, if someone experiences an anaphylactic reaction. It's serious, it's not faddy eating etc. "
Exactly. Which is why food manufacturers, providing products that might go into thousands of end user dishes potentially in every household and restaurant in the country, must be held to the very highest of standards. And severely prosecuted if they fail to maintain those standards. |
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"The allergy is the problem.
Good luck trying to get fabs to understand the problem
I sympathise. All I can suggest is protesting to the FSA or contacting manufacturers directly.
Protest what? They can't get sunflower oil where there is none...
From the couple of minutes' research I've just done on this it looks like manufacturers are required to print info about substitute oils on their packaging, so as long as they inform consumers they're not really doing anything protest-worthy.
It's annoying for people like OP, I do agree. Have you tried making your own versions of these foods? Or checking if substitute brands are still using safer oils?
I agree, I’m not blaming the manufacturers, I’m just highlighting the problems that are caused because of it.
I am making my own food where I know exactly what’s added. Eating out on the other hand is a non starter.
I'm sure you can still eat out... Restaurants are rigorous about allergies since Natasha's law was passed, and have to either omit or offer a substitute. I'm sure every kitchen has at least some olive oil on hand
I'd stick to chain restaurants because my own experience of "local" restaurants is that many don't know or change suppliers frequently to obtain cheapest price and, as the case of Pret a Manger proves, suppliers don't always know what's in their food either.
I don't imagine people who don't have food allergies will understand. We're not talking about minor tummy upset or discomfort. Food allergy can cause death within minutes, if someone experiences an anaphylactic reaction. It's serious, it's not faddy eating etc. "
Thankfully, I don’t have a serious allergy, certainly not life threatening, but some people do. |
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