French deputies vote to ban hexane in food production by 2027

French deputies have voted to ban the use of hexane in the food industry starting in 2027, despite opposition from the government. The measure, proposed by the ecology group, targets the solvent commonly used to extract vegetable oils. Hexane is recognized as a neurotoxin and is suspected of being an endocrine disruptor, with some parliamentary reports linking it to Parkinson’s disease.

The amendment, adopted during the examination of the Social Security budget, also proposes a 10% contribution from the affected sectors to fund the National Health Insurance, following the “polluter-pays” principle.

Opponents of the measure, including the budget rapporteur Thibault Bazin and the government, argued that current studies do not show risks from food residues and that the ban is not an appropriate subject for the Social Security budget legislation. While the vote passed, the overall rejection of the budget text remains a possibility, which may impact the final implementation of this provision.