Danish bakers clash with food agency after cinnamon rolls run afoul of EU guidelines

COPENHAGEN – Easy on the cinnamon! That advice from Denmark’s food authority has rankled pastry chefs whose cinnamon rolls were found to violate the European Union’s spice rules.

The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration recently discovered that Danish cinnamon rolls and twists contained more coumarin — a chemical compound in the most common variety of cinnamon — than EU rules allow. Excessive intake of coumarin can cause liver damage.

The agency asked bakers to reduce the amount of cinnamon they sprinkle in the dough for their sweet treats.

Danish bakers protested, saying the EU limit is too strict. They noted bakers in Sweden got around the EU rules by labeling their cinnamon rolls as “traditional and seasonal bakery.”

Danish officials will meet next month with the bakers’ association to discuss potential solutions.