Belgians view Euro method as an assault on their chips

BELGIAN politicians have expressed outrage at what they say is an assault on their culture, after the European Commission proposed that chips should be blanched before being fried.

Frite – or frietjes in the Flemishspeaking north of the country – are fried raw in Belgium and adored for being crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Ben Weyts, Belgium’s minister for tourism, claimed EU officials were plotting to destroy the country’s “rich gastronomical traditions” and accused the Commission of being out of touch with its member states.

“Our fries owe their flavour to the craftsmanship of our chippies, who fry chips raw and then fry them a second time,” he said. “I understand that outside our country they have different cultures. But we have our own cultural tradition. It would be a shame if the European Union prohibited it.”

The European Commission denies it is planning to introduce a ban, saying its advice on blanching was merely a “recommendation” which has yet to be approved by member states.

Blanching was recommended in the draft as part of new food safety measures that would prevent the formation of acrylamide, a carcinogenic compound, in fried snacks.

“The Commission has no intention whatsoever, I repeat, no intention whatsoever, to ban Belgian fries, or any other type of fries,” said Margaritis Schinas, a Commission spokesman.

Anca Paduraru, another Commission spokesman, said Belgium was playing “a political game” and added: “We do not oblige anyone to blanche potatoes, they can do with the potatoes what they want if the temperature is lower than 175C.”