There are many advantages to a global marketplace, but one of the pitfalls is that not all countries have the same food supply regulations. Experts say that makes the following five products vulnerable to contamination.
Pomegranate Juice
It has been praised for its health benefits, but beware of pomegranate juice that’s been diluted with other juices, water, acids or sugars.
“The safety of the other juices — or the other products, if it’s chemical or sugar or coloring — has not been reviewed by anyone in the food supply chain and answers are unknown to the consumers,” says Markus Lipp, director of food standards for the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention.
Question juices that seem too low in price, and stick with the better-known brands.
Black Pepper
Black pepper can easily add flavor to just about any dish, but it’s also easily tainted. The U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention has found cheap fillers in ground pepper, including plant stems and buckwheat flour. Since whole foods are easier to identify, opt for whole kernel black pepper and try to grind it yourself.
Honey
Another food that is commonly tampered with is honey. Ingredients like artificial sweeteners, high-fructose corn syrup and water are the usual suspects. Plus, manufactures may purposely mislabel its country of origin.
“Certain countries have been banned from importing honey due to a persistent problem in food safety,” Lipp says.
Ground Coffee
Consider this before taking another sip of your cup of Joe: ground coffee can be cut with ingredients like corn, seeds, barley and even twigs! This is more common in products made outside the U.S., but if it’s listed on the label, it’s not considered food adulteration. Also check the label for ground chicory root — another filler, especially in instant coffee. Shop well-known brands and when in doubt, buy whole coffee beans and grind them yourself.
EVOO
Finally, extra virgin olive oil is a pricey staple in most pantries. A sign that it may be contaminated is if the price is too low — and it may pose a real threat to your health. “Extra virgin olive oil is diluted or replaced by either lower-grade olive oils or peanut oil or by other plant oils,” Lipps says.
Pomegranate Juice
It has been praised for its health benefits, but beware of pomegranate juice that’s been diluted with other juices, water, acids or sugars.
“The safety of the other juices — or the other products, if it’s chemical or sugar or coloring — has not been reviewed by anyone in the food supply chain and answers are unknown to the consumers,” says Markus Lipp, director of food standards for the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention.
Question juices that seem too low in price, and stick with the better-known brands.
Black Pepper
Black pepper can easily add flavor to just about any dish, but it’s also easily tainted. The U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention has found cheap fillers in ground pepper, including plant stems and buckwheat flour. Since whole foods are easier to identify, opt for whole kernel black pepper and try to grind it yourself.
Honey
Another food that is commonly tampered with is honey. Ingredients like artificial sweeteners, high-fructose corn syrup and water are the usual suspects. Plus, manufactures may purposely mislabel its country of origin.
“Certain countries have been banned from importing honey due to a persistent problem in food safety,” Lipp says.
Ground Coffee
Consider this before taking another sip of your cup of Joe: ground coffee can be cut with ingredients like corn, seeds, barley and even twigs! This is more common in products made outside the U.S., but if it’s listed on the label, it’s not considered food adulteration. Also check the label for ground chicory root — another filler, especially in instant coffee. Shop well-known brands and when in doubt, buy whole coffee beans and grind them yourself.
EVOO
Finally, extra virgin olive oil is a pricey staple in most pantries. A sign that it may be contaminated is if the price is too low — and it may pose a real threat to your health. “Extra virgin olive oil is diluted or replaced by either lower-grade olive oils or peanut oil or by other plant oils,” Lipps says.
When needed, honey can be a good sweetener instead of sugar. Like for making a desert. Costco gets its honey from one producer in the U.S. in the plains who only sells to Costco. I read about him and it is legit. However, the best honey for health (and adults only!) is not processed or treated but raw. It has all the health benefits missing (mostly) from most of the honey out there. That sort of honey is typically more opaque and found at whole foods and organic markets and costs a bundle.
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