Ever tried wood pulp in your pasta? How about a lentil latte or a chloroform cocktail? These sneaky food swaps might surprise you, but the joke's on you!
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00:00Ever tried wood pulp in your pasta? How about a lentil latte or a chloroform cocktail?
00:04These sneaky food swaps might surprise you, but the joke's on you.
00:08If you've ever picked up honey from a dollar store, you might have been surprised by the
00:12low price compared to what you'd pay at places like Whole Foods. However, a closer look at the
00:16label reveals why. What you're buying is likely a blend syrup, cleverly marketed in a bear-shaped
00:22plastic bottle. Blend syrup doesn't even list honey as the main ingredient. Instead, corn syrup
00:27takes the top spot, with honey coming second. Some labels may be honest about this, but other
00:32products labeled as 100% honey can be just as misleading, containing little or no honey at all.
00:38According to Insider, honey ranks as the third most commonly adulterated food worldwide. In 2013,
00:44Wired UK highlighted that much of the honey sold in the U.S. is often mixed with cheaper
00:49syrups like corn or rice, or even flavored with unrefined sugar. Unfortunately, counterfeit honey
00:55is still widely available in both the U.S. and Canada.
00:58Determining whether food is truly organic or non-GMO is challenging,
01:02as labels don't always tell the whole story. Many people associate
01:06organic with pesticide-free, but organic farming allows the use of natural pesticides,
01:11such as pyrethrins from chrysanthemums. While these are considered safer than synthetic
01:15alternatives, the CDC warns that high exposure can still cause harmful effects, including dizziness,
01:21convulsions, and blacking out, proving that natural doesn't always mean entirely safe.
01:26Are you on drugs?
01:28Organic crops can still end up with synthetic pesticide residue due to
01:32contamination from neighboring farms, making it hard to determine whether a crop was truly organic.
01:37Unfortunately, organic foods are not regularly tested for such residues,
01:41creating an opportunity for fraud. Despite most organic farmers adhering to guidelines,
01:46high-demand organic products are often targeted by scammers.
01:49In 2019, a Missouri farmer was caught selling over $142 million worth of grain as organic,
01:55despite it being mostly conventional. After admitting to the scheme,
01:58he pleaded guilty to wire fraud and was convicted.
02:01You've likely wondered about the authenticity of canned Parmesan cheese
02:05that doesn't require refrigeration. In some cases, you'd be right to question it.
02:09In 2016, Bloomberg News revealed that Castle Cheese Inc. was cutting its so-called
02:14100% real Parmesan with wood pulp. While goats can digest wood pulp,
02:19it's not exactly the cheese you'd expect on your pasta. So technically it's food,
02:24but it's definitely not what you signed up for.
02:26That's just shocking. That's disgusting.
02:28Castle Cheese's use of cellulose, a common anti-clumping agent,
02:32exceeded acceptable levels in its 100% Parmesan, which should contain only 2% to 4%.
02:38The company didn't just add it to prevent clumping, but to boost profits by increasing weight.
02:42Moreover, the product wasn't even Parmesan. Cheaper cheeses like white cheddar and mozzarella
02:47were used instead, deceiving customers with a false label.
02:50When you first purchase saffron, you might be shocked at how little comes in that small $20
02:55jar, making you wonder if you need a magnifying glass to spot the threads.
02:59Saffron is the most expensive spice globally,
03:01with prices reaching around $1,500 per pound for even the lower-end varieties.
03:06But no matter the price, you expect to get genuine saffron,
03:09not something like dyed corn silk passed off as the real deal.
03:12So ensure you're getting what you pay for.
03:15We have sort of a problem here.
03:16Saffron's high price tag reflects the labor-intensive process of harvesting,
03:20with each flower yielding just three stigmas that must be handpicked.
03:24It's no surprise, then, that this valuable spice is often adulterated.
03:28Genuine saffron is sometimes mixed with corn silk,
03:30coconut filaments, or dyed threads, and occasionally it's entirely absent.
03:35In 2010, Spain reported exporting 190,000 kilograms of saffron,
03:40yet local farmers claimed only 1,500 kilograms were harvested.
03:44That doesn't quite add up, does it? Something seems off with that figure.
03:47For many of us, a piece of white fish looks just like any other.
03:50We trust grocery store labels to tell us exactly what we're buying.
03:54However, seafood suppliers are aware of this,
03:56and sometimes mislabel cheaper fish as pricier varieties.
04:00After all, once it's cooked and seasoned,
04:02even an experienced chef may struggle to identify it.
04:05According to the conservation group Oceana,
04:07about 21 percent of fish sold commercially is mislabeled.
04:10This means that when you pay top dollar for Chilean sea bass,
04:13you might actually be getting tilapia, which costs a fraction of the price.
04:17So, if you find yourself with the wrong fish, feel free to call it whatever you like.
04:21Most food adulteration reaching the U.S. and other countries isn't directly harmful,
04:26though it's driven by economic motives.
04:28While some may claim it's necessary to stay afloat or driven by greed,
04:31the intention is rarely malicious.
04:33Instead, food fraud is often about maximizing profits,
04:36with little regard for consumer trust or the integrity of the product.
04:41Don't do it, kid.
04:42In some cases, adulterated products can be genuinely dangerous,
04:45with serious health risks involved.
04:47The motives may still be profit-driven, but the consequences are far more sinister,
04:52placing money above human safety.
04:54A stark example came in 2013 when the BBC alerted British consumers
04:58to the growing problem of counterfeit vodka.
05:00The government had seized twice as much fake vodka that year,
05:03some of which contained harmful substances like antifreeze,
05:06industrial alcohol, and even chloroform,
05:08the same chemical used in movies to knock someone out.
05:11Though the effects aren't instant, prolonged exposure to these substances
05:15can cause severe health issues like cancer, blindness, nerve damage, and even death.
05:19While these illicit vodkas are sold at a lower price,
05:22customers buying them for a bargain might not realize
05:25the long-term risks they are taking with their health.
05:27If you're unsure about identifying different types of meat,
05:30you might not realize you've eaten horse instead of beef.
05:33In 2012 and 2013, many in Britain unknowingly consumed burgers that were 29% horse meat.
05:39This went on for at least 10 months, and potentially as long as five years,
05:43as reported by The Guardian.
05:45Um...
05:46The source of the scandal?
05:47Anglo-Irish beef processors, a major player in Europe's beef industry.
05:51Several of the UK's largest grocery chains, like Tesco and Aldi,
05:55were unknowingly selling horse meat-laced burgers made from meat sourced from up to 40 suppliers.
06:00To make matters worse, some of the horse meat was mixed with previously frozen beef,
06:05so rotten it had turned green.
06:06Not exactly the kind of burger you want to crave.
06:09Americans are passionate about coffee,
06:11but what if your favorite brew isn't truly 100% arabica, or even just coffee?
06:16A 2020 study in Foods found that coffee often gets mixed with barley,
06:20nuts, legumes, and even vegetables.
06:22In some cases, coffee grounds are contaminated with husks or twigs.
06:26This issue could worsen as climate change shrinks suitable land for coffee production,
06:30with predictions of a 50% reduction in acreage by 2050.
06:34To ensure you're getting pure coffee, stick to whole beans,
06:37which are harder to adulterate than pre-ground varieties.
06:40However, it's still a challenge to guarantee your cup is truly 100% arabica,
06:45so enjoy that pricey mocha frappuccino while you can.
06:48Soon, it might be more lentil than latte.
06:50Olive oil is known for its unique flavor and aroma,
06:53but when distinguishing between regular olive oil and extra virgin olive oil, EVOO,
06:58it becomes trickier.
06:59One issue that consumers may not notice is the possibility of dilution with cheaper oils,
07:04like canola oil.
07:05This is concerning not only because you're paying premium prices for an inferior product,
07:10but also because many choose olive oil for its heart-healthy properties.
07:13While much of the olive oil sold in the U.S. is legitimate,
07:16incidents of fraudulent EVOO still occur.
07:20In 2017, Reuters uncovered a scheme involving the Italian mafia,
07:24who were labeling olive oil pulp, the byproduct of pressing olives,
07:28as extra virgin and shipping it to the U.S.
07:31Kobe beef is known for its exceptional marbling, making it tender, flavorful, and costly.
07:36At a restaurant, you might pay around $200 for just four ounces of this prized meat.
07:41As such, it's become a lucrative item for American eateries.
07:44However, some restaurants in the U.S. have been less than precise with their labeling.
07:48In 2009, the Miami New Times revealed that some steaks marketed as Kobe
07:53in Miami weren't actually authentic.
07:55To earn the Kobe label, the cattle must be born and raised in Japan's Hyogo Prefecture,
08:00much like how true champagne can only come from the Champagne region in France.
08:05$126 worth of beef.
08:09Y'all not worth it."
08:10Some restaurants apparently overlook the strict labeling rules for Kobe beef,
08:14but this is no minor detail.
08:16True Kobe beef comes from a specific breed and must meet rigorous standards,
08:20with its supply carefully monitored for authenticity.
08:23So if you're seeing discounted Kobe beef, chances are it's not the genuine article.
08:28Turmeric, derived from the root of a plant, is easier to harvest than saffron,
08:32but still provides that iconic yellow hue in dishes.
08:35However, this vibrant spice is often adulterated.
08:38Some manufacturers add artificial dyes like metonyl yellow or Sudan red to enhance the color.
08:43Others mix turmeric with potentially harmful ingredients, such as cassava,
08:48known to be toxic when uncooked, or white ginger and wild turmeric varieties.
08:52In certain regions, turmeric has even been tainted with lead chromate,
08:55a yellow dye that can lead to lead poisoning.
08:58To avoid these risks, it might be safer to just use yellow food coloring
09:01instead of trusting turmeric's authenticity.
09:04When you buy free-range, pasture-raised, or grass-fed products,
09:07you're paying extra for animals that are supposed to be raised in humane conditions.
09:11But the reality is that there can be a gap between what consumers expect
09:15and what industrial producers define as humane.
09:18Often, it's not about breaking the rules,
09:20but rather that the regulations themselves don't always align with what we assume they should be.
09:25A notable example surfaced in 2019 when Nelly's Free Range Eggs,
09:29known for its product cartons featuring happy hens in lush pastures, was hit with a lawsuit.
09:34The complaint claimed that, in reality,
09:36the hens were confined to sheds with just over one square foot of space each.
09:40This disconnect between marketing and reality highlights the complexities
09:43of animal welfare standards and how they can sometimes fall short of consumer expectations.
09:48It just seems so unsanitary."
09:53Nelly's defended its practices by claiming the hens met legal free-range standards,
09:58which only require outdoor access for six hours a day.
10:01However, the court ruled against them,
10:03noting that while their eggs technically met the law's definition,
10:06their marketing implied a more expansive free-range environment
10:09than the legal requirements actually provided, misleading consumers.