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How we're scammed into eating phony food

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Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#131

Post by Thimothy »

derefr wrote: post #48
Jerry2 wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Another scam is extra virgin olive oil. Almost all of the ev-olive oils that you buy at supermarkets in the US are fake [0]. It's basically lower-grade olive or vegetable oil with some added green chlorophyl for color. UK supermarkets aren't faring much better [1]. It's all due to mafia control of the oil markets in Italy. 60 Minutes did a report on it recently and they even tested oils for fakes [2]. It's extremely…

What's the cheapest way to get guaranteed-real EV olive oil? Are there known-good brands (perhaps ones produced entirely outside of Italy?) Or, if you cared about "authentic Italian" olive oil, perhaps for personal or restaurant use (i.e. not for resale): how much would it cost (in the US) to just buy bulk Italian olives , and then press them yourself?

Go Spanish, they are usually cheaper as they aren't as famous as the Italian, but the quality is the same or even better, as they don't have the strange shenanigans the Italians have with the Mafia. An awful lot of the Italian oil sold outside of Italy is from Spain, anyway [1].

[1]http://www.economist.com/news/business/21600996-government-f....

Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#132

Post by charlesdm »

breakingcups wrote: post #118
Jerry2 wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Another scam is extra virgin olive oil. Almost all of the ev-olive oils that you buy at supermarkets in the US are fake [0]. It's basically lower-grade olive or vegetable oil with some added green chlorophyl for color. UK supermarkets aren't faring much better [1]. It's all due to mafia control of the oil markets in Italy. 60 Minutes did a report on it recently and they even tested oils for fakes [2]. It's extremely…

Does anyone have any idea how this situation is in the EU?

Much better. You get what you buy.

Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#133

Post by durandal1 »

derefr wrote: post #48
Jerry2 wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Another scam is extra virgin olive oil. Almost all of the ev-olive oils that you buy at supermarkets in the US are fake [0]. It's basically lower-grade olive or vegetable oil with some added green chlorophyl for color. UK supermarkets aren't faring much better [1]. It's all due to mafia control of the oil markets in Italy. 60 Minutes did a report on it recently and they even tested oils for fakes [2]. It's extremely…

What's the cheapest way to get guaranteed-real EV olive oil? Are there known-good brands (perhaps ones produced entirely outside of Italy?) Or, if you cared about "authentic Italian" olive oil, perhaps for personal or restaurant use (i.e. not for resale): how much would it cost (in the US) to just buy bulk Italian olives , and then press them yourself?

If you're in California, try the olive oil (I prefer the italian style) from Ranch Olivos, literally grown in Los Olivos :) Amazing, product, and if you go there yourself you can buy it from the owner, standing under a canopy on his ranch, next to the olive trees. http://www.ranchoolivos.com

Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#134

Post by pizza234 »

ptaipale wrote: post #89
Dolores12 wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In USA you need not label GMO food as GMO. [1] Because "The FDA has determined that the fish is as safe and nutritious as nongenetically modified fish, and will therefore not require the company or retailers to label the fish as genetically engineered." [1] http://www.cnbc.com/2015/11/19/fda-approves-genetically-modi...

Which is fine (I say as European). Requiring GMO labeling is is about as sensible as requiring DHMO labeling - it's scaremongering not based on science.

The public is not made only/mainly of science-challenged people as you're subtly implying.

There are other reasonable motivations for labeling GMO, ie. political and environmental (not all environmental reasons are "GMO is frankenstein food").

Moreover, the GMO scaremongering will last, as any other fad, for a limited amount of time. The part of public who rejects GMO for shallow (no) reasons, will quickly forget and move one to be scared of something else.

Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#135

Post by mirimir »

tempodox wrote: post #112
mirimir wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

An FDA FAQ tells me:[0] > Inspections and licensing of restaurants and grocery stores are typically handled by local and county health departments. However, FDA serves as a scientific and technical consultant to state and local regulatory agencies by publishing the FDA Food Code, which sets forth model provisions for keeping food safe in restaurant, cafeteria, and institutional food operations. Most states adopt thes…

Is there even any definition of what “keeping food safe” actually means? And it still would mean nothing as long as those standards aren't being enforced.

I get the sense that it's mostly about foodborne illness.

One could search the CFR, but I'm not up for that today.

Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#136

Post by Dylan16807 »

sampo wrote: post #116
misja111 wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because TTIP is heavily influenced by the lobbying of big multinationals, the Monsanto's and the likes. As a result it favors the big food companies over small local producers. Eventually TTIP will lead to less local variety of food products and more food that is imported and therefore less fresh.

> the Monsanto's and the likes Monsanto is an agrichemical and seeds company. It is not in the food business. I know 'Monsanto' is sometimes used as a general synonym for 'evil company', but this is somewhat inappropriate.

1. Monsanto wants the food grown with its seeds to be sold more.

2. TTIP is enormously encompassing, about far more than food.

3. A cursory search will show lobbying by Monsanto for TTIP.

Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#137

Post by _nalply »

breakingcups wrote: post #118
Jerry2 wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Another scam is extra virgin olive oil. Almost all of the ev-olive oils that you buy at supermarkets in the US are fake [0]. It's basically lower-grade olive or vegetable oil with some added green chlorophyl for color. UK supermarkets aren't faring much better [1]. It's all due to mafia control of the oil markets in Italy. 60 Minutes did a report on it recently and they even tested oils for fakes [2]. It's extremely…

Does anyone have any idea how this situation is in the EU?

An article from 2015 (Switzerland, German)[0]: It is said that a litre of good extra vergine olive oil has to cost Fr. 20 a litre or more to have a chance to get real extra vergine. I stopped buying olive oil and switched to Swiss canola oil.

[0]: http://www.nzz.ch/nzzas/nzz-am-sonntag/ein-schmieriges-gesch...

Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#138

Post by bprieto »

derefr wrote: post #48
Jerry2 wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Another scam is extra virgin olive oil. Almost all of the ev-olive oils that you buy at supermarkets in the US are fake [0]. It's basically lower-grade olive or vegetable oil with some added green chlorophyl for color. UK supermarkets aren't faring much better [1]. It's all due to mafia control of the oil markets in Italy. 60 Minutes did a report on it recently and they even tested oils for fakes [2]. It's extremely…

What's the cheapest way to get guaranteed-real EV olive oil? Are there known-good brands (perhaps ones produced entirely outside of Italy?) Or, if you cared about "authentic Italian" olive oil, perhaps for personal or restaurant use (i.e. not for resale): how much would it cost (in the US) to just buy bulk Italian olives , and then press them yourself?

Try spanish olive oil. I'm spanish, so I probably have a bias. You can have pretty decent olive oil for less than 4 euros / litre here so olive oil is the only oil I use.

If you buy oil bottled in Spain look for the "extra virgin olive oil" label: Aceite de oliva virgen extra. We are pretty serious with labeling around here, so you won't be fooled.

There are varieties like picual, hojiblanca, arbequina or cornicabra which are different in color and taste, and are named after the olives they are made from.

Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#140

Post by CalRobert »

Al-Khwarizmi wrote: post #102
polskibus wrote: post #38

That's why EU people are protesting against TTIP. We're worried that the lower standards that are common in USA, will prevail, and any resistance will be trampled in private arbitrage courts.

Yes, this is a huge worry for me. The quality of food in the US is atrocious. When I was there, almost nothing tasted as it should, everything tasted bland and mildly sweet. The only way I found to get decent meat was to buy ultra-posh organic stuff at ridiculous prices, and then it would be no more than on par with the cheapest meat I could buy in Spain. Even chocolate is affected! TTIP is one of the worst things th…

For what it's worth, I live Ireland and moved here after 30 years in the US. I agree that the TTIP is a terrible idea (and feels a bit like imperialism chasing after me as I exit). Food on the continent is a sheer delight for the senses.

However, if you visit this fine emerald isle, you will find the US has no monopoly on bland, mildly sweet food. (To be fair, we _do_ have some pretty great cheese)

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