I received quite a jolt a breakfast yesterday as I opened up a brand new tub of my favorite Becel margarine.
Lo and behold my margarine was yellow!
Yup, margarine sold in Quebec has been uncolored for the last twenty years because of a law that forbid the practice of adding yellow die to the product. The prohibition came as a result of pressure brought to bear by the dairy industry,
who feared that Quebeckers might be fooled into buying margarine instead of butter.
If you think the industry wasn't serious about the ban, you'd be wrong. The issue has been subject to expensive litigation between the producers of margarine and the dairy association. Until now the dairy association has prevailed and beaten back all attacks.
A few years ago Wal-Mart was subject to a raid by food inspectors after an industry complaint and had $200 worth of yellow margarine carted. Quel horreur!
Last summer, the Quebec cabinet finally ruled on the weighty matter and decided that after twenty years, Quebeckers could finally be trusted to recognize the difference between products.
Congratulations to the government on this bold and innovative initiative!
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