Fact Check: Oreo biscuit is not filled with cancer-causing chemcials, it does melt on heating

Multiple videos going viral on social media show Oreos not melting even after being exposed to a blowtorch. Despite being exposed to heat, the cookies seem to be intact and not melting. A series of Oreo cookies are blowtorched in the viral video claiming that they are not melting. First cookie is expected to fire for 0.1 seconds, second for 0.5 seconds, third for 1 second, next for 3 seconds, next one for 5 seconds and the last one for 30 seconds. None of the cookies really seem to melt. This video is shared virally on X with the caption: “Oreo cookies laced with cancer causing flame retardant chemicals that even a blow torch can't ignite? A class action lawsuit was filed against Mondelez (Oreo owner) for making false claims that its products are "100% Sustainably Sourced”. The law suit alleges that Mondelez knew its cocoa was harvested using child and child-slave labor, and that its cocoa supply chain also devastates rainforests in West Africa.”

Here is the screenshot of the Claim link.

Fact Check:

The claim that Oreo cookies do not melt when exposed to heat and are made of cancer-causing ingredients is Misleading.

When we checked whether Oreo can be melted when exposed to heat, we found a few videos and articles that show that Oreo does melt when exposed to heat in high quantities.

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We also found a video by The Wall Street Journal, which explains the ingredients of the Oreo cookies sold in the USA. The ingredients can be seen in the screenshot shared in the video.

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According to a Times Now article published in June 2024, first Introduced by American cookie manufacturer Nabisco in 1912, Oreo is now owned by Mondelez International. With availability in over one hundred countries, Oreo biscuits offer a variety of flavours and limited-edition releases.

The main ingredients in Oreos are: Unbleached enriched flour, High oleic canola oil or palm oil, Cocoa, High-fructose corn syrup, Leavening agent like baking soda, Corn starch, Salt, Soy lecithin, Vanillin, Chocolate

However, consuming these addictive cookies can have adverse effects on your health. According to experts, women can have a maximum of 2000 calories and men, 2500 calories in a day. Eating at least ten Oreo cookies can give you 700 calories – the excess of which accumulate to become fat and over time, leads to: Obesity, heart diseases, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart attacks, kidney issues, metabolic syndrome. 

A few downsides of eating foods packed with high fructose sugar and canola oils include: Canola oil and high fructose corn syrup increase inflammation and oxidative stress - an imbalance between harmful free radicals that causes inflammation and prevents or slows free radical damage.

Studies also indicate that canola oil and sugar can both negatively impact memory. In a recent study, more than 100 adults were randomly assigned to a control diet rich in refined oils - including canola. Notably, those in the canola oil group experienced a downfall in cognitive function. Both processed sugar and canola oil can significantly lower blood levels of interleukine-6 - a substance that promotes heart inflammation.

There is no mention of any cancer-causing ingredients in the cookies by any of the publications found . 

In an article published by The Straits Times in October 2021, biscuits and other fired, baked, or roasted goods are safe to eat when consumed in moderation, stated the Singapore Food Agency. Acrylamide is a cancer-causing contaminant said to be found in baked food items like biscuits and cookies and other baked food. While acrylamide is a contaminant produced during food processing or making products, its production can be controlled by selecting the appropriate raw materials and processes.

Though the cookies look unmelted when exposed to heat for short intervals of time, they melt when exposed to high heat for a long time. The claim that Oreo cookies do not melt when exposed to heat is Misleading.