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The Villejuif leaflet, also known as the Villejuif flyer and the Villejuif list, was a pamphlet which enjoyed wide distribution. The leaflet listed a number of safe food additives with their E numbers as alleged carcinogens. The leaflet caused mass panic in Europe in the late 1970s and 1980s. One of the entries on the list was citric acid (E330).

Its name derives from its false claim to have been produced at the hospital in Villejuif.^[1]

History

The earliest known sighting of the leaflet was in February 1976, in the form of a single typewritten page in France. Homemade copies were spread across Europe for a decade in the form of a leaflet or flyer pamphlet that was distributed between friends and apart from citric acid included 16 other chemicals in a list of substances that it called dangerous toxins and carcinogens.^[1]^[2] The original author of the typewritten list was never found, and the leaflet affected about 7 million people in its uncontrollable propagation.^[1] In a survey of 150 housewives, 19% said they have stopped buying these brands, and 69% planned to do so.^[3]

List contents

Multiple versions of this leaflet circulated, the exact set of suspect and dangerous substances differing from version to version. The following substances have been included on at least one such leaflet:^[4]^[5]

Toxic: E102, E110, E120, E123, E124, E127, E211, E220 (Sulfur dioxide), E225, E230, E239, E250, E251, E252, E311, E312, E320, E321, E330 (Citric Acid, listed as "most dangerous"), E407, E450
Suspect: E125, E131, E141 (Chlorophyll derivatives), E142, E150, E153, E171 (Titanium White), E172 (Iron Oxide), E173 (Aluminium), E210, E212, E213, E214/E215, E216/E217, E221, E222, E223, E224, E226, E231, E232, E233, E240 (Formaldehyde), E338 (Phosphoric acid), E339, E340, E341, E460 (Cellulose), E461, E462, E463, E464, E465, E466

Research

This phenomenon became the subject of academic empirical research by J. N. Kapferer, president of the Foundation for the Study and Information on Rumors (an organisation in Paris, France) and professor of communication at L'Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales and l'Institut Supérieur des Affaires (a university in France) because of its persistence contrary to all official denials about the safety of citric acid and its wide distribution, as about half of all French housewives had been exposed to it.^[2] The resulting scientific paper was published in 1989 in the 53rd volume of the Public Opinion Quarterly, a journal associated with the American Association for Public Opinion Research and published by the University of Chicago Press (now published by the Oxford University Press^[2]).

According to a 1990 book also written by Jean-Noël Kapferer, the leaflet drew the attention of experts, who immediately recognised its dubious nature. The leaflet wrongly listed E330, citric acid, as the most dangerous of all carcinogens.^[1]

Spread

The rumour, considered one of the most important experienced in the French society, spread via a translated leaflet in Great Britain, Germany, Italy, the Middle East, and Africa.^[2]

Journalists working for newspapers distributed the list of alleged carcinogens verbatim; even a 1984 book written by a medical doctor aiming at informing the general public about the dangers of cancer included the substances in the flyer in a list of carcinogens, without checking the flyer's accuracy.^[1]

False connection with the hospital of Villejuif

It was reproduced many times by many individuals as friends sought to inform other friends of the harmful chemicals in their food, and in the course of uncontrolled copying a version of the leaflet included the name of the Villejuif Hospital, making victims to the rumour believe that the list was authorised by it. Even though the hospital (as Gustave-Roussy Institute) denied any association, it was unable to stop the further dissemination of the flyer, which went on from hand to hand until at least 1986 and was passed to elementary schools, organisations, and even various hospitals, while medical schools and pharmacy schools also fell victim to the list because of its (unauthorised and untrue) reference to the well-known hospital of Villejuif.^[1]

Possible explanations

Citric acid is important for a chemical process named Krebs cycle, but Krebs means cancer in German, and it has been suggested that this linguistic confusion may have been responsible for false claims that citric acid is carcinogenic.^[6]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Jean-Noël Kapferer (1990). Rumors: uses, interpretations, and images. Transaction Publishers. p. 35. ISBN 0-88738-325-4.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d J. N. Kapferer (Winter 1989). "A Mass Poisoning Rumor in Europe". The Public Opinion Quarterly. 53 (4). Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Association for Public Opinion Research: 467–481. doi:10.1086/269167. JSTOR 2749354.
^ Anthony Pratkanis, Elliot Aronson, Age of propaganda: the everyday use and abuse of persuasion, Mcmillan, 2001, ISBN 0-8050-7403-1, pages 111-112
^ "Version primitive du "tract de Villejuif" (Ne mentionnant pas l'hôpital de Villejuif), une liste d'additifs alimentaires faussement présentés comme dangereux". June 2010.
^ "Distribué par l'hôpital de Villejuif".
^ E330 Citric acid

[book-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Jean-Noël Kapferer (1990). Rumors: uses, interpretations, and images. Transaction Publishers. p. 35. ISBN 0-88738-325-4.

[rumour-2] J. N. Kapferer (Winter 1989). "A Mass Poisoning Rumor in Europe". The Public Opinion Quarterly. 53 (4). Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Association for Public Opinion Research: 467–481. doi:10.1086/269167. JSTOR 2749354.

[3] Anthony Pratkanis, Elliot Aronson, Age of propaganda: the everyday use and abuse of persuasion, Mcmillan, 2001, ISBN 0-8050-7403-1, pages 111-112

[leaflet1-4] "Version primitive du "tract de Villejuif" (Ne mentionnant pas l'hôpital de Villejuif), une liste d'additifs alimentaires faussement présentés comme dangereux". June 2010.

[leaflet2-5] "Distribué par l'hôpital de Villejuif".

[ukfood-6] E330 Citric acid

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|1970s misinformation about food additives}}
-{{Orphan|date=December 2012}}
+[[File:Tract de Villejuif 2.jpg|thumb|The Villejuif leaflet]]
+[[File:Lemon - whole and split.jpg|thumb|E330 (citric acid) was wrongly listed as carcinogenic in the Villejuif leaflet. It occurs naturally in every living organism and high concentrations are found in many fruits.]]
+The '''Villejuif leaflet''', also known as the '''Villejuif flyer''' and the '''Villejuif list''', was a [[pamphlet]] which enjoyed wide distribution. The leaflet listed a number of safe [[food additive]]s with their [[E number]]s as alleged [[carcinogen]]s. The leaflet caused [[Mass hysteria|mass panic]] in [[Europe]] in the late 1970s and 1980s. One of the entries on the list was [[citric acid]] (E330).
-[[File:Lemon-edit1.jpg|thumb|Citric acid occurs naturally in every living organism and high concentration are found in many fruits. It was wrongly listed as carcinogenic in the Villejuif leaflet.]]
-[[File:LocationFrance.svg|thumb|The rumour started in [[France]] and quickly spread across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa]]
-The '''Villejuif leaflet ''', also known as the '''Villejuif flyer''' and the '''Villejuif list''', was a [[pamphlet]] which enjoyed wide distribution. The leaflet listed a number of safe [[food additive]]s with their [[E number]]s as alleged [[carcinogen]]s. The leaflet caused [[Mass hysteria|mass panic]] in [[Europe]] in the late 1970s and 1980s. One of the entries on the list was [[citric acid]] (E330).
 Its name derives from its false claim to have been produced at the hospital in [[Villejuif]].<ref name="book"/>
 ==History==
-The earliest known sighting of the leaflet was in February 1976, in the form of a single typewritten page in [[France]]. Homemade copies were spread across Europe for a decade in the form of a leaflet or flyer pamphlet that was distributed between friends and apart from citric acid included 16 other chemicals in a list of substances that it called dangerous toxins and carcinogens.<ref name="book"/><ref name="rumour">{{cite journal|title=A Mass Poisoning Rumor in Europe|author=J. N. Kapferer|journal=The Public Opinion Quarterly|volume=53|issue=4|date=Winter 1989|pages=467–481|publisher=Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Association for Public Opinion Research|jstor=2749354|doi=10.1086/269167}}</ref>  The original author of the typewritten list was never found, and the leaflet affected about 7 million people in its uncontrollable propagation.<ref name="book"/> In a survey of 150 housewives, 19% say they have stopped buying these brands, and 69% plan to do so.<ref>Anthony Pratkanis, Elliot Aronson, ''Age of propaganda: the everyday use and abuse of persuasion'', Mcmillan, 2001, ISBN 0-8050-7403-1, pages 111-112</ref>
+The earliest known sighting of the leaflet was in February 1976, in the form of a single typewritten page in [[France]]. Homemade copies were spread across Europe for a decade in the form of a leaflet or flyer pamphlet that was distributed between friends and apart from citric acid included 16 other chemicals in a list of substances that it called dangerous toxins and carcinogens.<ref name="book"/><ref name="rumour">{{cite journal|title=A Mass Poisoning Rumor in Europe|author=J. N. Kapferer|journal=The Public Opinion Quarterly|volume=53|issue=4|date=Winter 1989|pages=467–481|publisher=Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Association for Public Opinion Research|jstor=2749354|doi=10.1086/269167}}</ref>  The original author of the typewritten list was never found, and the leaflet affected about 7 million people in its uncontrollable propagation.<ref name="book"/> In a survey of 150 housewives, 19% said they have stopped buying these brands, and 69% planned to do so.<ref>Anthony Pratkanis, Elliot Aronson, ''Age of propaganda: the everyday use and abuse of persuasion'', Mcmillan, 2001, {{ISBN|0-8050-7403-1}}, pages 111-112</ref>
 ==List contents==
-Multiple versions of this leaflet circulated, the exact set of suspect and dangerous substances differing from version to version. The following substances have been included on at least one such leaflet:<ref name="leaflet1">https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tract_de_Villejuif_1.jpg</ref><ref name="leaflet2">http://penserclasser.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/capture-d_c3a9cran-2011-02-21-c3a0-16-26-50.png</ref>
+Multiple versions of this leaflet circulated, the exact set of suspect and dangerous substances differing from version to version. The following substances have been included on at least one such leaflet:<ref name="leaflet1">{{Cite web|url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tract_de_Villejuif_1.jpg|title = Version primitive du "tract de Villejuif" (Ne mentionnant pas l'hôpital de Villejuif), une liste d'additifs alimentaires faussement présentés comme dangereux|date = June 2010}}</ref><ref name="leaflet2">{{cite web| url=http://penserclasser.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/capture-d_c3a9cran-2011-02-21-c3a0-16-26-50.png | title=Distribué par l'hôpital de Villejuif}}</ref>
 *'''Toxic:''' [[Tartrazine|E102]], [[Sunset Yellow FCF|E110]], [[Carmine|E120]], [[Amaranth (dye)|E123]], [[Ponceau 4R|E124]], [[Erythrosine|E127]], [[Sodium benzoate|E211]], [[Sulfur dioxide|E220]] (Sulfur dioxide), [[Potassium sulfite|E225]], [[Biphenyl|E230]], [[Hexamethylenetetramine|E239]], [[Sodium nitrite|E250]], [[Sodium nitrate|E251]], [[Potassium nitrate|E252]], [[Octyl gallate|E311]], [[Dodecyl gallate|E312]], [[Butylated hydroxyanisole|E320]], [[Butylated hydroxytoluene|E321]], [[Citric acid|E330]] (Citric Acid, listed as "most dangerous"), [[Carrageenan|E407]], [[Pyrophosphate|E450]]
 *'''Suspect:''' [[Scarlet GN|E125]], [[Patent Blue V|E131]], [[Chlorophyllin|E141]] ([[Chlorophyll]] derivatives), [[Green S|E142]], [[Caramel color|E150]], [[Carbon black|E153]], [[Titanium dioxide|E171]] (Titanium White), [[Iron oxide|E172]] (Iron Oxide), [[Aluminium|E173]] (Aluminium), [[Benzoic acid|E210]], [[Potassium benzoate|E212]], [[Calcium benzoate|E213]], [[Ethylparaben|E214/E215]], [[Propylparaben|E216/E217]], [[Sodium sulfite|E221]], [[Sodium bisulfite|E222]], [[Sodium metabisulfite|E223]], [[Potassium metabisulfite|E224]], [[Calcium sulfite|E226]], [[2-Phenylphenol|E231]], [[Sodium orthophenyl phenol|E232]], [[Tiabendazole|E233]], [[Formaldehyde|E240]] (Formaldehyde), [[Phosphoric acid|E338]] (Phosphoric acid), [[Trisodium phosphate|E339]], [[Potassium phosphate|E340]], [[Calcium phosphate|E341]], [[Cellulose|E460]] (Cellulose), [[Methyl cellulose|E461]], [[Ethyl cellulose|E462]], [[Hydroxypropyl cellulose|E463]], [[Hypromellose|E464]], [[Ethyl methyl cellulose|E465]], [[Carboxymethyl cellulose|E466]]
@@ Line 20: / Line 19: @@
 This phenomenon became the subject of academic [[empirical research]] by [[J. N. Kapferer]], president of the [[Foundation for the Study and Information on Rumors]] (an organisation in [[Paris]], France) and professor of communication at [[HEC Paris|L'Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales and l'Institut Supérieur des Affaires]] (a [[university]] in France) because of its persistence contrary to all official denials about the safety of citric acid and its wide distribution, as about half of all French housewives had been exposed to it.<ref name="rumour"/>  The resulting [[scientific paper]] was published in 1989 in the 53rd volume of the ''[[Public Opinion Quarterly]]'', a journal associated with the [[American Association for Public Opinion Research]] and published by the [[University of Chicago Press]] (now published by the [[Oxford University Press]]<ref name="rumour"/>).
-According to a 1990 book also written by [[Jean-Noël Kapferer]], the leaflet drew the attention of [[expert]]s, who immediately recognised its dubious nature.  The leaflet  wrongly listed E330, citric acid, as the most dangerous of all carcinogens.<ref name="book">{{cite book|url=http://books.google.com/?id=b0VYBLUC7Z0C&pg=PA35&lpg=PA35&dq=The+VILLEJUIF+Hospital+list+e330|title=Rumors: uses, interpretations, and images|author=Jean-Noël Kapferer|page=35|year=1990|isbn=0-88738-325-4}}</ref>
+According to a 1990 book also written by [[Jean-Noël Kapferer]], the leaflet drew the attention of [[expert]]s, who immediately recognised its dubious nature.  The leaflet  wrongly listed E330, citric acid, as the most dangerous of all carcinogens.<ref name="book">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b0VYBLUC7Z0C&q=The+VILLEJUIF+Hospital+list+e330&pg=PA35|title=Rumors: uses, interpretations, and images|author=Jean-Noël Kapferer|page=35|year=1990|publisher=Transaction Publishers |isbn=0-88738-325-4}}</ref>
 ==Spread==
@@ Line 32: / Line 31: @@
 ==Possible explanations==
 Citric acid is important for a chemical process named [[Krebs cycle]], but ''Krebs'' means [[cancer]] in [[German language|German]], and it has been suggested that this linguistic confusion may have been responsible for false claims that citric acid is carcinogenic.<ref name="ukfood">[http://www.ukfoodguide.net/e330.htm E330 Citric acid]</ref>
+==See also==
+{{Portal|1980s}}
+* [[Chemophobia]]
 ==References==
-{{Portal|1970s|1980s}}
 {{reflist}}
+[[Category:1976 in France]]
+[[Category:1976 documents]]
+[[Category:1976 hoaxes]]
+[[Category:February 1976 events in Europe]]
 [[Category:Urban legends]]
 [[Category:False documents]]
 [[Category:Hoaxes in France]]
 [[Category:Hoaxes in science]]
-[[Category:20th-century hoaxes]]
+[[Category:Villejuif]]
+[[Category:Pamphlets]]
+[[Category:Anonymous works]]
+[[Category:Food additives]]