Social media has been awash with people pouring milk down their sinks and toilets or throwing away their butter because of a new additive in dairy feed.
Arla Foods, which sells its milk and butter at Tesco, Morrisons and Aldi, has announced that some of its farmers will be using a cow feed additive called Bovaer. Bovaer is an ingredient designed to reduce the amount of methane cows produce when they pass wind.
The creators of Bovaer have come out to slam those spreading ‘fake news’ about the product.
A Bovaer spokesperson said: “There is no justification for the spread and amplification of this fake news. We are scientists, we deal in facts, and we would never market a product that was not safe. We are grateful for independent, third-party experts, farmers and farmers’ organisations who have come out to counter this misinformation.”
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Bovaer® development began 15 years ago and enables farmers to reduce methane emissions from dairy, beef, and other ruminant herds, to help avoid global warming.
This comes as experts have tried to reassure the public that it is completely safe.
Rob Hobson, a registered nutritionist, said that there’s no reason to worry since Bovaer had been approved by both European and UK regulators.
He said: “They’re not going to allow something to be used if it’s not passed safety standards.”
Professor Gunter Kuhnle, nutrition expert at the University of Reading, said: “Additives used in farming must undergo rigorous testing by food safety authorities both in the UK and in Europe in order to be permitted for use.”
An Arla Foods spokesperson said: “The health and safety of both consumers and animals is always our number one priority and Arla would never compromise on the quality or high standards of the milk we produce. Bovaer has already been extensively and safely used across Europe and at no point during the trial will there be any impact on the milk as it does not pass from the cow into the milk.
“Regulatory bodies, such as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and UK Food Standards Agency, have approved its use based on evidence that it does not harm the animals or negatively impact their health, productivity, or the quality of milk.”
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