Vanillin in Ferrero Rocher and Hershey’s chocolate is an approved ingredient. The products are safe for consumption. 

Ferrero Rocher and Hershey’s are one of the most loved chocolate brands across the world. Ferrero Rocher was introduced in 1982 by the Italian company Ferrero and Hershey’s chocolate is produced by The Hershey Company founded in 1894 in the United States. 

Recent social media claims suggest that these two brands use PGPR and vanillin, derived from petrochemicals. These ingredients are not good for health and lead to many issues.

Facebook | Archive

Fact Check- 

First, we checked whether Ferrero Rocher and Hershey’s contain vanillin. We found that vanillin is used in these two chocolate brands as artificial flavor. You can check the list of ingredients here and here.

What is Vanillin? 

Vanillin is the main chemical responsible for the characteristic vanilla flavor and aroma. It is widely used as a flavoring in foods such as chocolates, cakes, ice cream, and beverages. It is found in vanilla beans but the ones used in food products are mostly produced industrially. 

According to an article, vanillin is obtained naturally from vanilla plants or can be manufactured synthetically. Extracting vanillin from vanilla plants has its limitations because the plant grows in specific geographical locations and the process of pollinating vanilla flowers requires manual effort and a lot of labor. Hence, it is manufactured synthetically using materials such as industrial pulp waste liquid or petrochemicals. 

Is Vanillin Safe for Consumption? 

During animal studies it was found that high doses of vanillin can be harmful and may cause eye irritation, muscle weakness, breathing difficulty, and circulatory failure. Extremely high doses also showed a risk of cancer when vanillin is injected in the body. 

But, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) recommended an acceptable daily intake of vanillin up to 10 mg per kilogram of body weight. It was also found that inhaling small amounts of this substance for a short time did not cause harm. 

According to the National Institute of Health, during animal studies it was found that the lethal dose of vanillin in mice and rats are 4333mg/kg and 4730mg/kg respectively. This means that a very high dose of vanillin is needed to cause serious toxicity. Studies in rats showed that even a dose of 300 mg/kg of the substance did not produce harmful effects on the kidneys, liver, or blood cells. Because of lack of toxicity in animal studies, researchers consider it to be a non-toxic compound which can be used in foods and for pharmaceutical purposes. 

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Vanillin is used in foods mainly as a flavoring agent to give a vanilla taste and aroma. It is listed in the FDA inventory of substances added to food. This means it is recognized and permitted for use in food products when used according to the regulations. 

Fact About Safety Of PGPR: 

Polyglycerol Polyricinoleate (PGPR) is approved as a food additive in the European Union with specific purity standards set by Commission Regulation. It was first evaluated by the FAO/WHO’s JECFA in 1969 and 1974, which established a safe daily intake of 0 – 7.5 mg per kilogram of body weight. 

PGPR was also evaluated by the Nordic Council of Ministers. It was concluded that ‘the toxicological data available to JECFA in 1973 or to SCF in 1977 did not include all the data. However, more recent studies support the safety of PGPR at these levels.

Conclusion: 

Fact Crescendo found the claim to be misleading. Vanillin used in Ferrero Rocher and Hershey’s chocolates are proven to be non-toxic when consumed within the established limits.