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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

#191

Post by ddebernardy »

adrr wrote: post #128
gambiting wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because in the EU there are laws that say that if something is labeled as virgin olive oil, it has to be olive oil and nothing else. Greek Yoghurt has to be made in Greece and nowhere else. Lobster meat has to be lobster meat, and Kobe beef absolutely has to be Kobe beef. TTIP basically(in extreme simplification) says that if something is allowed in US it should be allowed in any other signatory country - which would…

EU laws aren't being enforced. All the fake olive oil is coming out of Italy. If you want real virgin olive oil in the US, you have to buy the California ones. It was also reported that Kobe beef was being sold at European restaurants even when Europe had a ban on Japanese meats during the Mad Cow Scare. Those are things just off the top of my head, i bet if you actually dug in, Europe has many examples of where fake…

> EU laws aren't being enforced. All the fake olive oil is coming out of Italy.

Not seeing how the two sentences follow. Why should the EU be enforcing its laws on food packaged there, if the latter is destined for shipment to the US where pretty much anything goes?

Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#192

Post by coldtea »

CalRobert wrote: post #140
Al-Khwarizmi wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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)

>However, if you visit this fine emerald isle, you will find the US has no monopoly on bland, mildly sweet food.

Well, apart from whisky, nobody ever considered Ireland a place for good food. For UK of course it's even worse, they're actively known for the bad taste and cuisine.

Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#193

Post by lorenzhs »

vkou wrote: post #162
emp_zealoth wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is industrial food is usually made with industrial grade additives: Monosodium glutamate, modified palm oil, various stabilisers, buckets of sugar, etc - I would list more, but I literally threw away the worst offender I had on hand (Pre-made meal-in-a-jar)

How is MSG an industrial grade additive? There's a lot of it in tomatoes.

It occurs naturally in many foods (at varying concentrations), but that doesn't mean we have to smother everything else in it. It makes snacks harder to resist, which is why industry likes it. That doesn't mean I have to like it. Its current usage basically encourages unhealthy eating habits.

Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#194

Post by rasur »

teolemon wrote: post #188

We're trying to end this. Open Food Facts is an open, collaborative effort to try to make more sense of food and food packagings. A bit like Wikipedia, but for food. Using smartphones, you can scan any food item and get detailed and structured data about what you're about to buy/eat. If the item is not yet in the database, you can help by taking a picture, so that next time there will be detailed facts. You can perus…

This is an awesome idea and I have just signed up & contributed already.

Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#195

Post by Symbiote »

yitchelle wrote: post #70
Tomte wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It cannot be, that's the point. If Sri Lanka exports tea as "Darjeeling", it's automatically fake.

Surely, it is just the name that is different. If we can call the tea leaves by their botanical name, would that make it more correct?

It is, indeed, just the name. But it's also only the name that means I know what Pepsi is.

You can find products sold in European supermarkets labelled, for example, as "Stilton-style blue cheese". Or "Cola drink".

Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#196

Post by m_mueller »

RcouF1uZ4gsC wrote: post #130

This article is so over the top that it borders on parody. Start with the title: "Everything we love to eat is a scam". I can provide lots of counter examples to that statement. Other statements with my comments "After reading it you’ll want to be fed intravenously for the rest of your life." - Look up total intraparenteral nutrition and see if you would prefer that to eating. "Escolar is so toxic that it’s been bann…

> By toxic the author means causes diarrhea due to unabsorbed oils/waxes.

Oh, I see. No problem then, move along.

> Zero calorie seafood, I never knew?

Reading favourably before going into a rant is an important skill to have. If you try it, you'll see that the article has a good point with fake seafood, past the somewhat ridiculous comparison.

> In reality, we have never had such abundant, safe food in the history of humanity.

The US has also slipped to 27th place in life expectancy. So is everything good enough now? Should we never innovate again, because "look how bad people had it in the past"?

Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#197

Post by Shivetya »

Okay, I have to ask. Which brand of Olive Oil that can be found in US stores is actually olive oil? Is there a good resource for finding real foods? Outside that stamp which might only exist for CA originated oil I don't see a good indication in the article.

Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#198

Post by stephenr »

ricksplat wrote: post #153
adrr wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

EU laws aren't being enforced. All the fake olive oil is coming out of Italy. If you want real virgin olive oil in the US, you have to buy the California ones. It was also reported that Kobe beef was being sold at European restaurants even when Europe had a ban on Japanese meats during the Mad Cow Scare. Those are things just off the top of my head, i bet if you actually dug in, Europe has many examples of where fake…

I don't think you can say that just because rules are being broken, that is a case for them being repealed.

It's the default American approach to assume that a failed implementation equals a failure of a concept.

Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#199

Post by 13of40 »

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…

I'm from the US, and currently vacationing in Spain. My wife and I typically only eat at restaurants once or twice per vacation, so we've got ample opportunity to try local groceries. In my experience, the food here is superb. Some tomatoes we've bought are quite bland, but eggs are good. Preserved meats tend to be good (I mean tasty, maybe not good to eat all the time), and raw meats seem to be good quality and hygienically stored. I did find a decent, locally made IPA this morning for about $2.50 per 12 oz bottle at the Carrefour. My impression is that if you're a stranger to a place, it takes a while to find the good places to shop, because if you've only been there a week you might be trying to buy steak at the 7-Eleven.

Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#200

Post by iamshs »

somberi wrote: post #181

I live between NYC and Bangalore, India. The taste and freshness of vegetables and fruits in India is way more than what is available from Fairway in NYC. Some of it could be attributed to the broken cold storage (and hence most perishables come from around Bangalore). I normally buy Spinach (and other Indian greens) from the lady outside a small community park. "No Agathi (type of green) today? What happened?" She g…

I moved from Edmonton, Canada to Goulburn Valley, Australia: the foodbowl of Australia; and the difference in food is just astonishing. The first time I had a bite of the salad here, I was mesmerized. Right back to the childhood spent in Punjab, India. Nothing beats onions, guavas, coriander, mandarins, olive oil, plums and the berries from the garden. The earth is golden here. The biggest difference is the vegetable and the weather here. Else, I miss Canada and especially the Rockies.

Btw I wouldn't trust most vegetables in India. You don't know the source of water and if they have been injected by oxytocin. My grandfather owns a big farm and grew vegetables (never laced them though). BTW NorthEast India has good quality produce too.

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