10/10 UK Samples

[BugsInABox]

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjw0w921nzgo

10/10 UK samples adulterated. Is the test so sensitive it picks up syrup legitimately fed early in the season or late the previous one?

 

[roche]

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjw0w921nzgo

10/10 UK samples adulterated. Is the test so sensitive it picks up syrup legitimately fed early in the season or late the previous one?

It doesn't say anything about the source of the samples - it could be supermarket honey purchased in the UK, sourced from abroad...

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It doesn't say anything about the source of the samples - it could be supermarket honey purchased in the UK, sourced from abroad...

the 10/10 samples do not relate to Apimondia in any way, but a separate EU testing of supermarket honeys.
the 10/10 samples do not relate to Apimondia in any way, but a separate EU testing of supermarket honeys.
And the Cranfield announcement of a new way of testing honey without opening a jar is yet another story.
We have to be careful not to bundle all three into a totall misconflation of the 'facts'

 

[Newbeeneil]

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjw0w921nzgo

10/10 UK samples adulterated. Is the test so sensitive it picks up syrup legitimately fed early in the season or late the previous one?

I would guess these samples were taken from supermarket shelves and not from beekeepers and we can all guess what crap goes into supermarket honey.

 

[pargyle]

And now ... Tomato Puree - allegedly from Italian tomatoes is apparently made from Chinese tomatoes - and sold by Waitrose as well as other major supermarkets... shock horror - is anything what it says on the tin ?

 

[JamezF]

And now ... Tomato Puree - allegedly from Italian tomatoes is apparently made from Chinese tomatoes - and sold by Waitrose as well as other major supermarkets... shock horror - is anything what it says on the tin ?

I was just reading the BBC News item about this. I'm certainly prepared to believe that the situation may perhaps be a little more nuanced than the BBC have presented it given that they're trying to push a television programme about it, but on the other hand it's hard not to get the impression that as long as the customer forks over their hard-earned, the supermarkets just don't give a **** about honesty any more (I feel sure they must have done at some point, albeit long ago).

Ultimately it leaves me wondering whether I can really trust anything on the label if it isn't a "raw ingredient" and even if it were, could I actually believe that it was produced where the label claimed it was? And I realise that many people may not be that bothered, which is fine, but personally there are plenty things I would (and do) go without rather than buy if I wasn't comfortable with the way they had been produced.

James

 

[Penninetrader]

AS I have mentioned before, my birthplace was a very short distance from that of the original Rochdale Pioneer society shop. The shop was established with great difficulty, being a workers or socialist enterprise businesses did not want them to succeed and mostly refused to supply them, their reason to be was that there was so much adulterated food and many cases of the poor being poisoned. Brand names established in this environment and grew quickly by being consistent trusted foods. We now appear to have come full circle in going back to buyer beware. When beeks describe trading standards antics towards them over a label one wonders how we could possibly have any dodgy food given how diligent they seem to be towards small enterprise............ahhh is that it, hands off the big boys especially if it is EU sourced.

 

[BugsInABox]

Is it possible though that the tests are sensitive enough to pick up tiny amounts of syrups in the honey because at some point in the year it was legitimately added to hives rather than jars? I raise this as a possibility because of how sensitive DNA amplification analysis has become over the last few years.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

well at least we can be assured that the good old british banger always has and always will contain good old lips t!ts and arseh*les

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Is it possible though that the tests are sensitive enough to pick up tiny amounts of syrups in the honey because at some point in the year it was legitimately added to hives rather than jars? I raise this as a possibility because of how sensitive DNA amplification analysis has become over the last few years.

Does sucrose, glucose or other sugars have DNA to amplify?

 

[thorn]

At least the tomato purée contains real tomatoes.

 

[JamezF]

Does sucrose, glucose or other sugars have DNA to amplify?

As pure molecules, no, but I guess depending on the method of production there could be DNA remnants from the source plants present. And of course lack of any DNA or significantly reduced levels of DNA might well be a pointer to problems too.

James

 

[pargyle]

At least the tomato purée contains real tomatoes.

Ah yes .. but what worries me is the methods of production in China, their lack of concern for using chemicals to aid growth and reduce pests and diseases and whether these chemicals - concentrated into a tomato puree end up on top of my carefully home made, free from anything I considered dodgy, pizza. Let's not even think about the human rights issues where, allegedly, people are being exploited tending the crops - and in some cases this appears to be sold by Waitrose - who claim incredibly high ethical standards and charge accordingly. Where does it all end ?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Where does it all end ?

Make your own where you can. Youve discovered tomatoes you can grow so that’s a first step. I don’t bother with puree but freeze tub after tub of Mediterranean veg. That doubles up for tomato puree in any recipe.

 

[JamezF]

Ah yes .. but what worries me is the methods of production in China, their lack of concern for using chemicals to aid growth and reduce pests and diseases and whether these chemicals - concentrated into a tomato puree end up on top of my carefully home made, free from anything I considered dodgy, pizza. Let's not even think about the human rights issues where, allegedly, people are being exploited tending the crops - and in some cases this appears to be sold by Waitrose - who claim incredibly high ethical standards and charge accordingly. Where does it all end ?

It does make me wonder how much trust should be placed in any labels that are intended to indicate some sort of standard in terms of quality or welfare. It does feel that if the cost to the supermarket of "being found out" is lower than the profit to be made by selling a product that may be "fake", then they'll just go with the money.

James

 

[Darryl]

And now ... Tomato Puree - allegedly from Italian tomatoes is apparently made from Chinese tomatoes - and sold by Waitrose as well as other major supermarkets... shock horror - is anything what it says on the tin ?

I'm trying to recall a product which comes out of China which is legit and unadulterated. I'm struggling ....... any help?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Covid?

 

[pargyle]

Make your own where you can. Youve discovered tomatoes you can grow so that’s a first step. I don’t bother with puree but freeze tub after tub of Mediterranean veg. That doubles up for tomato puree in any recipe.

Yes... just not a big enough crop ... I grow them outdoors and even down here on the South coast it really was not warm enough for long enough to produce the heavy crops you get from growing plum tomatoes .. the blight free ones that worked well are small to medium fruit, great taste but they are essentially salad tomatoes. I have a few kilos in the freezer but we ate about half the crop as they ripened.