The main problem is the European Union
Traditional Breton horn and his fight with European bureaucracy
In the Brittany region, political parties have raised their voices to protest the French government's inactivity in defending and promoting andouille de Guémené, a traditional smoked sausage that is at the centre of a regulatory debate. Whoever has tasted this specialty will remember it for a long time. Served in a pan, accompanied by fried onions, this pork product has gained a devoted fan base. When I informed my French editor of my intention to write on the subject, she immediately exclaimed: Landouille de Guémené? I love it! However, her enthusiasm waned when I explained that this western French specialty is in the midst of a dispute that threatens its existence.
The main problem is the European Union regulations limiting levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), potentially carcinogenic compounds generated during the smoking process. Andouille de Guémené is traditionally smoked over fag wood, a method that deposits a funing layer on the surface of the product and increases the PAH content. The distinctive taste of the sausage depends on this centuries-old technique, which leaves producers between keeping the tradition and adhering to food safety rules.
In Guémené-sur-Scorff, Benoît Rivalan, owner of the centenary Maison de l' Andouille, fears that the French authorities may close his business due to the 12 microgram limit for certain EU-imposed PAHs. They are on their radar, he told Euronews, although he introduced a special technique to reduce contamination. We use a protective glove. It's similar to a compression sock: we put it over each andouille during the smoking process, and it captures 80% of PAHs while still retaining the aroma. However, Rivalan warns that the obligation to take additional measures could undermine the traditional production method, which is based on smoking over a wood fire.
In previous years, producers tested their leatherless
The story of Brussels officials threatening a beloved Breton specialty has gained traction in recent weeks among eurosceptic far-right parties in France. But is Brussels really guilty? Reality is more complex. EU rules allow Member States to request exemptions, something the French authorities have never done. Paul Leguernic, a local right-wing councillor and knight of the Guémené Fraternity of Andouille Gusters, is furious. The gastronomic association, founded in 1994, is fighting to protect the traditional sausage from industrial imitations. Successive French governments have refused to seek an exemption for French smoked products, Leguernic told Euronews, adding that it was easy to point your finger at Brussels when the real problem lies in how Paris applied EU regulation.
In previous years, producers tested their leatherless sausages to demonstrate compliance with EU limits. However, the French Ministry of Agriculture subsequently requested that the whole carrot be tested, arguing that consumers also eat the skin. We went from 6 to 8 micrograms to 120 to 150 micrograms of PAHs, Rivalan said.
Pressure is rising on Paris. Leguernic accused the French authorities of interpreting European regulations too strictly. The French authorities have adopted an overly strict interpretation of European regulations because the funing generated during the smoking process deposits on the skin rather than actually penetrate the product. He also criticized their refusal to accept a label advising consumers to limit the consumption of the skin. Loïg Chesnais-Girard, the left-wing president of the Regional Council of Brittany, wrote to the French government on 28 September, urging it to send a request for an exemption to Brussels.
Last week, all political parties in the region, with the exception of the Greens, adopted a resolution supporting the calls to Paris. ' Food security for consumers must remain an absolute priority, but regulations must be able to take into account the specific characteristics of traditional production methods and the very limited health risks associated with consuming such a product', the resolution reads.
Several EU countries have already obtained exemptions for traditional smoked meats, including Ireland, Croatia, Cyprus, Spain, Poland and Portugal. Finland and Sweden have also obtained derogations for smoked wood products from smoked wood or other plant materials. It is clear as water: France has failed to do its job when it comes to smoked andouille, said Socialist Senator Simon Uzenat for Euronews.