Fact Check: Germany did not ban Shan products

Social media did it again. This time a viral tweet has led Pakistanis to believe that Shan products have been banned in Germany. However, the claim is false. In reality, some products of Shan Foods recalled in Germany due to certain ingredients found in the batch.

A Tweet by user Dr Muhammad Kamran (@DrMKamran81) showed a letter by Ideal Food Traders listing out multiple masalas by Shan.

In Germany following Shan products have been banned. They have found Ethylene Oxide in them.
Ethylene oxide is disinfectant & fumigant used to combat bacteria, viruses & fungi. It can alter the genetic material, cause cancer & is banned from food production in Europe. pic.twitter.com/BSBuhrBw61

— Dr. Muhammad Kamran (@DrMKamran81) July 15, 2023

The user’s caption added fuel to the fire, as he wrote “In Germany following Shan products have been banned. They have found Ethylene Oxide in them.”.

“Ethylene oxide is disinfectant & fumigant used to combat bacteria, viruses & fungi. It can alter the genetic material, cause cancer & is banned from food production in Europe.”

The post went viral and was also retweeted by Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir.

However, the assertion that certain products have been banned is untrue, and much of the misunderstanding appears to have resulted from the letter’s contents being written in German.

Since the letter was sent by a private trading group rather than a representative of the government, the idea that it references a prohibition doesn’t seem to have any merit.

The items are being flagged for a recall rather than a ban, according to a phrase that follows the list of masalas.

“Diese produkte durfen nicht verkauft werden, da diese, ihre gensundheit beeintrachtigen konnen. Diese produkte DRINGEND aus dem verkauf nehmen, und zur ruckgabe an uns sicherstellen,” the letter reads.

A simple check through Google translate shows that this means;

“These products may not be sold as they can impair your health. URGENTLY withdraw these products from sale and ensure they are returned to us.”

The letter makes no reference to any of the harmful substances or disinfectants that the user who uploaded it claimed.

The letter just represented a batch recall, which was a common occurrence in trading operations, several people said in response to the Tweet as well.