It looks like wasabi, but it isn’t: big food lies in the supermarket

In the supermarket we come across products whose names promise more than they actually deliver. Classics include green wasabi paste, which usually consists of colored horseradish, or Alaska pollock, which despite its name is not a real salmon. Such names are intended to sound familiar, but consumers should look carefully to avoid surprises in terms of taste or ingredients. ZDFInfo shows an overview of common food lies:

Wasabi paste: horseradish-mustard mixture

Real wasabi is rare in Europe because the plant is difficult to obtain and very expensive: a kilogram can cost over 100 euros. That’s why the green paste that is served with sushi usually consists of horseradish, mustard and starch, which are colored green with dyes like this star reported. This so-called wasabi surrogate is widely used in restaurants, snack bars and delivery services.

You can recognize real wasabi because it is freshly grated, pale green, slightly chunky and has a milder, slightly sweet spiciness, while the substitute mixture usually tastes bright green and much spicier.

Vanilla ice cream: Artificial flavors, sugar and vegetable fats

Another example of misleading labels in the supermarket is vanilla ice cream. Despite the name, it often contains hardly any real vanilla, but instead contains artificial vanillin flavors, sugar and vegetable fats. Real vanilla is expensive, so manufacturers resort to flavoring and coloring additives to imitate the taste and color. The ice cream becomes a sweet substitute product, while consumers get the impression of high-quality vanilla.

We took a look ourselves. In the supermarket, the list of ingredients for many types of vanilla ice cream clearly shows how little real vanilla is contained: skimmed milk, whey products, vegetable fats and sugar are usually followed at the very end by a tiny amount of vanilla – often just a hint, while the majority of the taste comes from flavors and additives.

However, if the package says “bourbon vanilla,” it means that real vanilla flavoring made from bourbon vanilla beans was used. In these varieties, the vanilla content is often still small, but significantly higher than in standard vanilla ice cream, he says NDR. The vanilla is usually not at the end of the ingredient list.

“Bourbon vanilla” is an indication of a higher proportion of real vanilla, but does not replace the often very long ingredient lists full of flavors and additives.

Strawberry yogurt without real fruit

Many ready-made yoghurts in the supermarket have names like “strawberry yoghurt”, but the actual fruit content is often negligible. There is loud in a 150 gram cup consumer advice centers On average, only a single strawberry, while sugar, flavors and fruit preparations shape the taste.

The packaging gives the impression of fresh, juicy fruit, but in reality this effect is usually created by colorings, additives and industrial processing. If you want to experience real fruit, you should check the list of ingredients carefully or use homemade versions.

Alaska Pollock: Not real salmon

Another example of misleading names in the supermarket is Alaska Pollock. Despite the name, it is not a salmon, but a cod-like fish actually called Alaska pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) and is related to cod, according to the food manufacturer’s website Igloo can read.

The name “pollock” was chosen primarily for marketing reasons when the fish came to Europe from the North Pacific because it sounded more familiar and attractive to consumers. Today, Alaska pollack is one of the most popular food fish in Germany and is often found in products such as fish fingers or gourmet fillets. Its mild, low-fat meat is easy to process and is usually sold already filleted and frozen.

Chocolate icing: Often low-quality vegetable fats

Many chocolate glazes in finished products do not contain any real chocolate at all, but consist mainly of vegetable fats, sugar and artificial flavors. Instead of cocoa butter, palm oil or other cheap fats are often used to make the icing appear creamy and shiny, while the cocoa flavor only comes from added powder or flavorings.

The Consumer advice center warns against misleading terms such as “cocoa-containing fat glaze” on baked goods, as these often contain inferior vegetable fats instead of expensive cocoa butter. High-quality couverture, on the other hand, consists of at least 31 percent cocoa butter, so consumers should pay close attention to the list of ingredients when purchasing pastries. According to experts, this practice primarily serves to save costs and make products visually appealing, while real chocolate in the strict sense is hardly contained in many supermarket items.