food fraud
That Stuff in Your Spice Cabinet Ain't Oregano
Consumer watchdog organization Which? analyzed 78 samples of dried oregano, purchased in retail shops across the UK and Ireland. And it turns out that a quarter of those samples contained matter that was simply not oregano.
Italy Isn't Happy with Crimea's Counterfeit Prosecco
After fighting the menace of on-tap Prosecco in the UK, Italian winemakers are now setting their sights on the Black Sea region, where they claim sparkling wine counterfeits are on the rise.
China Is Paying Top Dollar for American Ginseng That Might Be Chinese
American-grown ginseng is prized in China, routinely fetching as much as $9,000 per pound. But much of the "American" root might actually be fraudulently labeled Chinese ginseng.
“Cancer Eye” Beef Is Thankfully No Longer On the Menu
Last year, a California slaughterhouse was shuttered for allowing tainted beef to be processed normally. New USDA testimony reveals the full extent of the shocking bait-and-switch.
A Jamaican Task Force Is Cracking Down on Counterfeit Coffee
In Jamaica and abroad, unscrupulous hoteliers and merchants are attempting to pass off inferior beans as the country's prized, and pricey, Blue Mountain coffee. But don't worry: a new coffee task force is on the case.
It’s Time to Start Hoarding Precious Italian Olive Oil
Changeable weather conditions in the Mediterranean made 2014 a terrible year for the olive harvest there. That means a lower yield of olive oil, which is likelier to get more expensive—and more shadily labeled—as a result.
Caviar Demand Is Decimating Fish Populations
Caviar is fancy as shit. But luxury comes at a cost, and in the case of caviar that cost is the health of fish populations all over the globe.
This German Meat Detective Is Looking for Horse in Your Dinner
After Horsegate rocked Europe in 2013, a group of German researchers started looking into ways to detect meat fraud more precisely than ever before. Long story short: Unless you don't mind eating Seabiscuit, be wary of corned beef.