Source:https://brightside.me/
Manufacturing fake food is a very profitable business. This year alone, counterfeit food has a market value of $653 billion of which is only sold in the United States. Even the food that is consumed everyday can be fake, and you may be surprised as to what ingredients are included in what you purchase.
Here are some foods that are very often counterfeited:
1. EGGS
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While this problem is mostly predominant in Asian countries, it would still be a good idea to check where the eggs you are buying comes from. According to the Health Ministry of China, ingredients of fake eggs such as benzoic acid and sodium alginate are very harmful to humans, and both the yolk and the egg white can be fake.
How to tell it is fake?
The shells of these eggs tend to be very rough. They are larger than the real ones, and the yellowness of the yolk is oftentimes way brighter.
2. APPLES
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Yes, as surprising as this sounds, even apples can be fake. While the apples themselves are real, all the additives injected in the fruit to make it bigger and shinier is dangerous. When the apple is grown with chemicals and toxins, they look too pretty to eat. Another reason why they are grown with all this bad stuff is to extend their shelf life.
How to tell it is fake?
If they look too good to be true, they they are filled with too many toxins that will harm your health.
3. GREEN PEAS
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Often times, canned green peas can be a combination of soybeans, snow peas, colorants and sodium metabisulfite. This chemical is prohibited in many countries because once ingested, it gives a high risk of cancer development and metabolism problems.
How to tell it is fake?
Only buy green peas that states where the region of production was made. If they seem too green, that means that the manufactures added colorant to the product.
4. BURGER MEAT
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A lot of companies in the 21st century have started creating and selling meat alternatives. The company called Impossible Foods created a beef patty replacement made out of starch, genetically modified yeast and textured wheat which they launched in 2016. Other than that, some burgers being served are made out of soy and other beans and they taste almost as close to real meat.
Be safe and buy your own meat products and avoid eating in fast food restaurants.
5. NOODLES
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Back in 2010, it was discovered that companies in China were producing copious amounts of fake noodles to sell. They were being made using rotten grains, poisonous additives and in even some cases, plastic!
Buy or make your own noodles, and avoid eating in fast food restaurants.
6. BLUEBERRIES
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The US Consumer Wellness Center came out with a study stating that food which contained blueberries are unhealthy, when in fact, these foods did not have the real fruit in them. They are most likely passed up as starch, colorants, oil and flavoring. Blueberries are considered a superfood that is why the demand for this in the market is extremely high.
How to tell it is fake?
Always read the ingredients of what you purchase. If Indigo Carmine (E132) is part of it, that means it is a fake blueberry.
7. COD FISH
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University College of Dublin researchers have proven that 90% of cod being sold was mislabeled, and that they are a different kind of fish. Although this fact has been proven, nobody knows when the mistake occurs, or who is responsible for it. The fish likely could have been mistaken when caught in the harbor.
How to tell it is fake?
Research what a Cod looks like so you can differentiate it from another species.
8. CINNAMON
Source:https://www.thenewsminute.com/
What you have grown up to know as cinnamon, is in fact, a cheap alternative called Cassia. The flavoring found in Cassia could cause migraines. Real cinnamon only grows in Sri Lanka and Western India, making it a hot commodity. Cassia is produced in numerous countries like China, Vietnam and Indonesia.
How to tell it is fake?
Real cinnamon will state Cinnamomum Verum on the packaging, while Cassia will have Cinnamomum aromaticum, meaning only the smell will be similar. Real cinnamon bark is light and easy to break, much like parchment. Cassia, on the other hand is thicker, brighter brown and rigid.
9. WHIPPED CREAM
Source:https://food-hacks.wonderhowto.com/
In 1966, an American chemist named William Mitchel invented a substitute for whipped cream which contained corn syrup, coconut oil, flavouring and a thickening agent. This version of “whipped cream” does work well and taste good, but it’s still not the real thing.
How to tell it is fake?
Ingredients in the package should not include vegetable fat and any sugar.
10. CAVIAR
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Because of it’s massive demand and little supply, there are a lot of dishonest manufacturers that fake caviar. It is replaced with cheaper fish eggs and colouring is added to pass it off as genuine. 1/3 of all caviar being sold in Europe is not the real thing.
Red caviar is the worst of all. More often that not, it is mixed with gelatine, fish soup, oils and red coloring. There are even some manufacturers that make red caviar using seaweed.
How to tell it is fake?
Sizes of the fish eggs are all different and they do not look perfect.
If red caviar doesn’t pop well when bitten, and it has a fishy and sticky texture, this means that it is fake.
11. SMOKED FOODS
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Smoking food is a long process, so manufacturers use a substitute called liquid smoke for their products. This has known to cause food poisoning when the process isn’t done properly.
How to tell it is fake?
The true smoking process makes the meat or fish dry, with a dull color.
12. SCALLOPS
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A scallop is a very expensive seafood and not much people are educated as to what it looks like. Because of high demand, manufacturers substitute the real thing with minced fish, seahorse, and even shark meat.
How to tell it is fake?
A real scallop are always sold in their shells. Frozen scallops should also have a beige color.
Do you often come across fake foods in the supermarkets you shop in? How exactly can you tell the difference from the real food? We would love to hear your experiences through the comment tab below!
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