The Dutch cocoa factory Olam, located in Koog-on-the-Zaan in North Holland, has for years mixed toxic ammonia with ground cocoa beans to blacken its famous Oreo cookies, the Dutch newspaper Noordhollands Dagblad revealed on Tuesday. The Dutch government was aware of such practices.
For several years, Olam has come under fire from local residents and environmental activists in particular because of its ammonia emissions. The company has always defended itself by explaining that ammonia was released naturally during the processing of cocoa beans. The company, however, failed to mention that it adds large amounts of ammonia to artificially darken the cocoa.
At the request of Olam, the Dutch Environment Agency was silent on the addition of tens of thousands of kilograms of ammonia in the manufacturing process of Oreo cookies.
“There is no or very little ammonia left in the final product”, defends the director of Olam, Eric Nederhand. “Its use is listed as a food additive in the technical information of each ingredient.” A whistleblower warned the newspaper that the plant was never designed to handle large quantities of ammonia.
“The ammonia seeps into every nook and cranny, the stench is overwhelming. The environment? Company executives don’t care. They care regarding dark cocoa powder and what they derive”he complains.
Mondelez, the maker of the Oreo cookies, points out that the packaging lists “ammonium carbonate” as an ingredient. “The use of ammonium carbonate in food does not affect the quality or safety of the product”says the brand’s spokesperson, Annick Verdegem.