Belgium Warns Against Consuming Christmas Trees Amid Spruce Needle Butter Suggestion

In light of an unusual recycling idea from Ghent, Belgium, the federal food agency has released a strong warning against the consumption of Christmas trees. The city suggested making "delicious spruce needle butter," igniting public confusion about the safety of culinary experimentation with evergreens.

Go ahead and recycle your Christmas tree, but Belgian officials are adamant: do not eat it. This message was underscored by the country's federal food agency following an unconventional proposal from the climate-conscious city of Ghent. Last week, the city suggested on its environmental webpage that residents could combat holiday food waste by creating “delicious spruce needle butter” from leftover needles.

“It's a breeze,” the city's message proclaimed, emphasizing that this method would prevent the Christmas tree from being totaled as waste. However, the post also hinted at potential health risks, noting that some evergreens, like yew, can be toxic, while others may have been treated with hazardous substances like pesticides or fire retardants.

Although Ghent attributed this cooking idea to Scandinavian traditions of using spruce needles to enhance butter flavor, food historians from that region disputed the claim, stating it was not a common practice there. As a result, Belgium's food agency felt compelled to issue a warning against this culinary trend.