Food Fraud

[Cary Grant]

http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2013/01/23/faux-pas-food-fraud-on-the-rise/

http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2011/11/09/most-honey-sold-in-u-s-grocery-stores-not-worthy-of-its-name/

And given a popular restaurant near me puts canola oil with a rosemary sprig on its tables but tells diners its olive oil... and recently sold a dish as Kobe when it was plain old beef bought in town at the local big box...





Discuss...

 

[BrianVarick]

Who would be fooled by either one of those tricks? I can't imagine dipping bread in canola oil.

 

[Gibonius]

Not mentioned in the articles, but seafood fraud is a big problem (~40% of fish sold isn't what it's claimed to be apparently). It's difficult to tell the difference between a lot of fishes, especially once cooked. Varies in severity from selling farmed salmon as wild-caught, to selling escolar as "white tuna." Red snapper was faked (replaced with cheaper fish) at an astronomical rate in restaurants according to the study I read.

 

[Piobaire]

A McD's in Dearborn, MI just had to pay out 700k or so in damages as apparently they were not serving hallal food as they said they were.

 

[Cary Grant]



Who would be fooled by either one of those tricks? I can't imagine dipping bread in canola oil.

Joe average consumer.

 

[b1os]

Olive oil fraud is very common in Europe. Mostly Northern African olive oil relabeled as Italian and such. Also fish fraud. Even in restaurants. Sole, for example. In Saxony, restaurants were tested and just every fifth ordered sole actually was a sole. Instead, they were mostly served pangasius (iridiscent shark?)....

 

[erictheobscure]



Varies in severity from selling farmed salmon as wild-caught, to selling escolar as "white tuna." Red snapper was faked (replaced with cheaper fish) at an astronomical rate in restaurants according to the study I read.

"White tuna" really blurs the line between outright deception and clever marketing. I mean, the fact that there really is no such thing as white tuna cuts both ways. Escolar sushi is actually pretty tasty, but that tastiness is always tempered by the fear of, uhh, leakage.

 

[Cary Grant]

Yeah- I get fish naming... roughy v dory etc etc... but outright deception? And sure- it's nothing new (sawdust in hot dogs etc)...

 

[imatlas]

melissopalynology is a real thing?