The message comes as a result of the city of Gent posting a tip on its website that the Christmas tree is not just for consumption just because Christmas is over. Under the heading "Eat your Christmas tree", it suggests "Scandinavian" traditions of eating dried spruce needles.
The Food Authority AFSCA does not appreciate the suggestion and responds with a flat no to the question of whether it is suitable.
"There is no way to ensure that it is safe to eat Christmas trees, neither for humans nor animals", writes AFSCA.
Many cultivated Christmas trees have been treated with pesticides, warns the authority, and furthermore, it is difficult for the general public to determine whether the trees have also been treated with fire retardants, which "can pose a life-threatening risk", writes AFSCA and continues:
"In short, there are many reasons not to encourage the reuse of Christmas trees in the food chain."
Gent has taken the warnings to heart and changed the heading of its post, which now reads: "Scandinavians eat Christmas trees".
