French Food Safety Agency Calls for Soya-Based Foods Ban in Mass Catering, Defying Scientific Consensus

The French Food Safety Agency, ANSES, recently recommended that mass catering establishments avoid serving soy-based foods due to health risks associated with isoflavones, plant-derived phytoestrogens found in soy. The agency set a threshold of 20 micrograms per kilogram of body weight daily for the general population and stricter limits for vulnerable groups, raising safety concerns for French children consuming soy. However, advocates for plant-based diets have criticized the recommendation, calling it a tactic to deter consumers from plant-based alternatives and highlighting the lack of comprehensive evidence supporting the ban. The vegan community was not surprised by this decision, as France has a history of not being very vegan-friendly, with previous restrictions on plant-based meat products and comments suggesting a preference for factory farming.

Advocates for plant-based diets have criticized the French Food Safety Agency's recommendation to ban soy-based foods in mass catering establishments, citing concerns about isoflavones, plant-derived compounds found in soy that are claimed to have hormonal activity. They argue that the decision lacks comprehensive evidence and is a tactic to deter consumers from plant-based alternatives. The vegan community was not surprised by this news, as France has a reputation of not being vegan-friendly, with past restrictions on plant-based meat products and comments suggesting support for factory farming.