Escolar is delicious, and I'd be disappointed to learn that the "white tuna" I was getting was albacore (blech). Also: I don't think histamines have anything to do with the GI side effects of overconsuming escolar.

The whole article is pretty weak. "Stay away" from artificial vanilla, it says, but then: Cooks Illustrated triangle-tested this with panels and found that in baked goods, artificial vanilla is actually what you want. Your cinnamon is... cassia! Look for real Ceylon cinnamon on the label! Why? Who's to say?

The idea that you need to buy milk from local farms, or switch to nut milk, to avoid detergents is especially funny. I think they're just writing this stuff to grab attention, not because they have any insight into food counterfeiting. Belle Cushing was one year out of Brown when Conde asked her to put this together; I assume the research was a series of Google queries.

It's annoying because there really are interesting (and problematic!) counterfeiting issues. I'm terrified of supermarket olive oil. Too bad Conde has no better advice than to find a "tasting bar".

Publications have been trying to scare people with "counterfeit white tuna" for decades.

No one has come up with an unbreakable or unforgeable supply chain for these goods, which is why counterfeiting is still such a problem.

> I don't think histamines have anything to do with the GI side effects of overconsuming escolar.

'I don't think'? That's it? Are you an expert? They didn't even say anything about excess consumption (not generally required for allergic reactions) in the part you quoted, so that seems like a strawperson.

> I assume the research was a series of Google queries.

At least the comment is honest about its sources.

Happy to help! Would have been happy to help the author of this bad article, too. Oh, well.

https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/scombroid/index.html

This counterfeits food article is lazyily researched clickbait.

Anyways, there is an experience eating them, which I didn't have with any other food, so far. I only can compare this with the feeling of burning heat you'll get when for instance drinking strong alcohol(Brrr!), or chewing and swallowing a few pieces of raw garlic(Brrr!). Then one can feel a hot burning sensation, spreading out from the stomach, all over the tummy.

Similar happens with pomegranates. But different, not hot and burning, just a good feeling warmth. And this happens only eating them raw, not from drinking juice, no matter if organic/direct pressed, or from concentrates. Still tastes good, but doesn't have the "effect".

Doesn't really matter where they come from, the strength of the effect and the taste varies, it's all very variable, depending on ripe-/freshness? Similar as it is with apples.

I've had very good ones out of season coming from Chile, had excellent ones from Iran, Türkiye, and elsewhere I can't remember right now.

Whenever I see them in some grocer/supermarket I buy one ore two for testing, and when they are good I'll get one to two whole boxes whith about 25 to 30 of them. They store well, but it doesent really matter, since they are gone soon anyway :-)

tl;dr: Raw good, juice mostly still tasty, but not as good.

If so I wouldn't care, because it feels good. I don't know how to describe this exactly. Maybe inducing a feeling of general wellbeing?

I found a this article pretty good.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-12/how-infla...

I’m not aware of any consumer protection laws against something like that. The only thing I could think of is either regulated products, like buying 2% milk that isn’t 2%. Or where it’s a obviously counterfeit.

In the former case of regulation Bryers ice cream changed their labeling to remove “ice cream” because it doesn’t meet the USDA definition of ice cream and instead call it “frozen dairy dessert”.

https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/is-your-favorite-ice...

The best people could do is vote with their dollars but it’s not always obvious.

Edit: "has been" = was

I just Googled the Kerrygold thing. A single person sued, making claims. Suit dismissed by judge four years ago.

Likewise Kerrygold’s cows are “grass-fed” insofar as they’ve ingested grass at some point in their lives… I think it merits the criticism

Part of me is inclined to agree with you. There’s nothing “wrong” with cassia. But it bothers me that we’ve established a precedent that we can just label one food as another because it’s cheaper and easier to access.

Cassia cinnamon

Ceylon cinnamon

The latter is what this article is calling "real" but they are both real. Ceylon originates in India and is used in Indian cooking. Cassia originates in SEA/China Asia and is used in recipes there.

They are simply two different varieties of the same tree and they are both cinnamon. In fact there are many more varieties than just that two, same as with apples, tea, coffee or any other plant and it makes no sense to designate only one variety of cinnamon as "real". They have different flavors and neither is better.

I have no real point here other than cinnamon (i.e. the genus Cinnamomum) is fascinating and confusing in equal measures and people should definitely read up on it.

As an Indian, I can assure you that the cinnamon we use in our cooking is indeed Cassia.

Ceylon is in Sri Lanka, a bit south of us.

Cassia does originally come from China though, although I guess it has spread a long way.

I hate it because we're often sold an inferior product and likewise it's probably too late to do anything about it.

1. http://bressanini-lescienze.blogautore.espresso.repubblica.i...

Real Wasabi is insanely water-intensive. This is where I first read about it:

https://www.theatlantic.com/video/index/585172/wasabi-fake/

There is a NZ brand which has cracked cultivation. It is not cheap.

https://www.purewasabi.co.nz/

ETA: I have not tried it. Saving the purchase for when I can talk my wife into sushi from my wild catches. Tall order.

https://www.thewasabistore.com/the-farm-1

Take good care of parasites. The deep frying of stor bought fish is also a parasite treatment, so is cooking. Wild catch needs detailed knowledge for the specific species, if and how it needs inspection and if and how it can be eaten uncooked and unfrozen, ie completely raw.

Wild catch is not just in and by itself "good and healthy"

This article has some sound references at the end:

https://sushimodern.com/sushi/safe-sushi-grade-species/

Our next freezer will be of the requisite grade.

Local fishing charters here like to dice up fresh salmon or trout on the boat as sashimi. I reckon their customers stay thin, if you follow my meaning.

Also, some fancy sushi chefs let the fish age a while at very low temps. See: Naomichi Yasuda

I’ve had plenty of both but I generally enjoy the sharper heat of the latter more, even though it annoys me that it’s mislabelled and hence a bit “fake”.

Ask for it at higher priced places where they take a little more care about the fish quality and eventually you're bound to find some. Like so many things it's good to know the difference at least once. It's no huge loss if you only eat the horseradish the rest of the time, but at least have experienced it once!

There’s definitely filler (more than 50% is real)but I don’t think people care, especially the average busy wife trying to get dinner on the table every day.

Most of the time I’ve had real wasabi its at a super nice place, like eating kaiseki, and it’s presented as the root with a small shark skin grater.

>> 原材料名: 本わさび、西洋わさび、...

...except the everyday stuff shown in your link indeed contains substantial 本わさび as a first ingredient, whereas the typical stuff sold in the US[1] is effectively just 西洋わさび and happens to be explicitly labeled "For external Japan" (despite also being manufactured in Japan) for reasons.

In other words, a consumer in Japan who settles on "close enough" isn't really making an equivalent compromise as a consumer in the US.

[1] https://www.sbfoods-worldwide.com/products/search/001.html

just like you use a large funnel to avoid spillage even when a smaller one would do.

i also read elsewhere that the products settle during transport. which at least makes sense for corn flakes and other similar shaped foods.

It’s relatively straightforward. Just chuck a split vanilla bean or two in with some strong liquor like tequila or vodka and let it sit for a month or two.

1. https://www.seriouseats.com/diy-vanilla-extract

2. https://www.seriouseats.com/taste-test-is-better-vanilla-ext...

The taste we associate with real vanilla is it's imperfections anyway. So I'll cut artificial vanilla with a splash of bitters and bourbon and have found it to be generally superior for most recipes.