I had imagined it differently. When I asked if the pizza slice was baked with analog cheese, the saleswoman just shrugged her shoulders with a smile. Ever since I heard about imitation cheese, jelly ham and fake ingredients, I’ve become even more conscious about my shopping. How can it be that instead of naturally matured cheese, I have a laboratory product made of water, vegetable fat and milk protein on my pizza? Is that actually allowed? “Yes, because every product that is made from food ingredients can also be sold here,” explains Armin Valet from the consumer advice center in Hamburg.
variety of deceptions
But: Food with so-called cheese imitations must be clearly recognizable for the consumer, according to a regulation by the Federal Ministry of Food, agriculture and consumer protection. Not easy, because the practice looks different. I look in vain for the word cheese imitation or analogue cheese at the fast food stand and on the pizza packaging. Instead, the list of ingredients includes: vegetable fats, milk protein, starch and emulsifying salts. Only those who are familiar with it know that the artificial cheese is hidden behind it. Unnoticed, because they are not labeled as imitations, gel ham or surimi shrimp also come onto the market. It is only when you read the list of ingredients carefully that you recognize a mixture of water, gelling agents, protein and often only 40 percent meat instead of high-quality cold cuts. The fake shrimp are nothing more than pressed fish muscle protein with binders and additives. Often it is also the photo or the inscription on the packaging, that give rise to misconceptions. With an Italian-sounding name, a pesto on the supermarket shelf entices you to buy it. Instead of expensive pine nuts, almost only cashew nuts are used, high-quality olive oil has been replaced by sunflower oil. This has hardly anything to do with the Italian original. The wasabi nuts from a well-known snack producer are no different. They are offered without the Japanese horseradish, but with flavor enhancers and aroma. Around 2,700 flavorings are permitted in the EU, and they can be used to conjure up just about any taste. Just one gram of aroma is enough to add an artificial flavor to one kilogram of food. high-quality olive oil was replaced by sunflower oil. This has hardly anything to do with the Italian original. The wasabi nuts from a well-known snack producer are no different. They are offered without the Japanese horseradish, but with flavor enhancers and aroma. Around 2,700 flavorings are permitted in the EU, and they can be used to conjure up just about any taste. Just one gram of aroma is enough to add an artificial flavor to one kilogram of food. high-quality olive oil was replaced by sunflower oil. This has hardly anything to do with the Italian original. The wasabi nuts from a well-known snack producer are no different. They are offered without the Japanese horseradish, but with flavor enhancers and aroma. Around 2,700 flavorings are permitted in the EU, and they can be used to conjure up just about any taste. Just one gram of aroma is enough to add an artificial flavor to one kilogram of food.
Analog cheeses and flavors
So the conclusion is that it’s all about high profits. That’s partly true, because chemical food ingredients like imitations and flavorings cost pennies. But it is also a fact that the Germans spend the least on their food in a European comparison. Wherever food is supposed to be cheaper, the industry reacts in its own way and even makes analogue cheese an innovative product for allergy sufferers.
“The argument that analog cheese contains no lactose and is better for people with lactose intolerance is a bogus argument, because skimmed milk powder is often used,” refutes Dr. Michael de Vrese from the Federal Research Institute for Nutritionand groceries in Kiel. However, he sees practically no health risks when using artificial cheese. However, consuming it at the expense of real cheese could worsen calcium supply. Nutritionists have long been critical of flavors. They are suspected of promoting allergies and obesity. Children get used to the over-flavored taste in art and eventually reject natural products. So what can consumers do? “Make a habit of critically reading the ingredient list. Leave products that look real on the shelf and inform the consumer centers about what you notice,” advises Armin Valet. I will definitely ask again for my next pizza.
Interview with Armin Valet
“More perspective for the consumer”
Demands clear labeling: Armin Valet from the Hamburg consumer advice center
Tolfioow: The consumer advice center has published a list of analogue cheese products and food deceptions. What were the reactions from consumers?
Armin Valet: There was a lot of interest. We had an intermittent server crash. Many consumers still email us when they discover fake products.
What did the publication of the list bring?
There were manufacturers who, after consumer protests, took out the analogue cheese. A supplier who used cheap molded meat in his turkey salad no longer processes it.
What must change for the consumer?
Food imitations must be clearly marked with the word imitation. The font of the list of ingredients must be legible. It is often too small or only indistinctly visible. Manufacturers must no longer be able to use names, photos or terms to pretend something on the packaging that is not actually in the product.
