Several everyday popular foods and snacks in Britain have come under government scrutiny in Canada.
Though they are iconic in the United Kingdom, and have long been sold in Canada, foods like Marmite- which has been around in Britain for more than a century; Ovaltine, the chocolate malt drink powder; Irn Bru, a caffienated soft drink; and Bovril a beef concentrate used in recipes or to make a hot drink since the 1870’s, are all under investigation by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Ovaltine,(Ovomaltine) made from malt extract, whey, and cocoa is stirred into milk, often warmed milk, to make an iconic chocolate drink, since 1904
One specialty store in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan which caters to British afficiandos has been notified by the CFIA that products like Lucozade, Penguin Bars, Marmite, Ovaltine and Bovril are “enriched with vitamins and minerals” which seems to making them illegal. Irn Bru contains a red dye not on Canada’s approved list.
Some other canned foods and soups contained too much animal product.
The store, Brit Foods, already had a Christmas shipment seized by customs officials in Montreal late last year, and store owner Tony Badger says he’s been ordered to stop selling these products.
Government inspectors had also visited his shop and removed items from the shelves.
The CFIA says it is reviewing the products, but there is no indication of how long a decision may take.
In the meantime Badger says if he can’t bring in new products, he may have to close his store.
The news of the CFIA action has reverberated all across the UK in several major newspapers and the BBC,
It’s also been spreading through online forums around the world/
In all cases people have been universally expressing varying degrees of shock and dismay at the situation.
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