LONDON (AP) 鈥� Marmalade is proving to be a sticky subject in Britain as a debate simmers over changes to the definition of the made of citrus fruits.
Lawmakers in the House of Commons on Wednesday expressed concern about marmalade’s future after media reports that U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer鈥檚 push for could mean unwanted change for the tangy toast topping.
Along with being a breakfast-table staple, marmalade has achieved a special place in British culture as the favorite food of the fictional character and a subsequent after the two appeared together in a short comedy video during her 2022 celebrations.
Recent media reports say the preserve 鈥� most commonly made from the juice and rind of oranges 鈥� will have to be relabeled 鈥渃itrus marmalade鈥� under a food and drink deal with the European Union.
鈥淲hat would Paddington think!鈥� fumed the Daily Mail earlier this month. Opposition Conservative foreign affairs spokeswoman Priti Patel accused the government of 鈥渁ttacking the great British marmalade.鈥�
Like many 鈥渆uromyths鈥� 鈥� stories about EU bureaucracy that are ever-popular in the British press 鈥� it has an element of truth.
The bloc has relaxed a rule 鈥� introduced at Britain鈥檚 request when it was a member 鈥� that had said only preserves made from citrus fruit could be called marmalade. Other preserves had to be labeled as jam, despite the fact that in some European countries, the name marmalade is applied to all fruit conserves. In German, for example, the word for jam is 鈥渕armelade.鈥�
After Britain鈥檚 exit, the EU decreed that member states can also use the word marmalade for non-citrus fruit spreads, as long as the type of fruit involved is identified.
With Britain planning to align its food rules with those of the bloc as part of measures to ease post-Brexit trade, hence the conundrum.
Democratic Unionist Party lawmaker Jim Shannon lamented in Parliament that it was a case of 鈥淓U labeling interfering with our produce.鈥�
The U.K. government says marmalade sold in Britain is usually labeled 鈥渙range marmalade鈥� or 鈥淪eville orange marmalade鈥� and is already in compliance with EU rules.
Food Security Minister Angela Eagle said that there would be 鈥渁 small change to our marmalade description rules,鈥� but 鈥渢he real-world impact would be minimal and consumers are unlikely to notice any difference.鈥�
Opposition Liberal Democrat lawmaker Tessa Munt, who had called for Wednesday鈥檚 marmalade debate, was more concerned about protecting the integrity of this 鈥渄istinctly British product.鈥�
She urged the government to ensure that 鈥渙nly citrus fruits can precede the world marmalade on labels.鈥�
鈥淚 have seen strawberry marmalade and all sorts of pear marmalade鈥� in one upmarket grocer, she exclaimed. 鈥淭his is rubbish. There鈥檚 no such thing.鈥�
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