We have already reported widespread fraud on the sale of sliced processed cheese, Cheese-scam. And here are two new cases of trade fraud — on the labels of melted cheeses ‘with Cheddar’ — by two of the three ‘usuals,’ Mondeleze Inalpi. (1)
The melted cheese
Processed cheese can come to be regarded as one of the emblems of the circular economy. In a logic of ZeroWaste-as opposed to food waste-cheese scraps and residues are reused on an industrial scale, to produce new foods.
From the consumer’s point of view, processed cheeses are cheaper sources of milk protein and calcium than other dairy products. They do not figure in the recipes of pentastellated chefs, and yet they boast widespread appreciation, thanks in part to their versatility of use.
The albeit relative commercial success in recent years has made it possible to improve the quality of productions in both aspects of:
– Elimination of polyphosphate additives, suspected of adversely affecting consumer health, (2)
– Use of well-identified dairy residues in ‘cheese’ quota. To characterize flavor (e.g., Parmesan, Emmental, Cheddar, Leerdammer) or attribute distinctive properties (e.g., ‘stringy effect’ using stringy cheeses such as mozzarella).
Fraud in trade
The marketing directorates of some industrial giants have gotten carried away. To the point of highlighting the presence of the characterizing ingredients-such as Emmental, Cheddar, and mozzarella-exposing their quantity compared to a single ingredient (‘cheeses’). Rather than, as should be the case, with respect to the overall quantity of the product’s ingredients. (3)
The amount of the ingredient is thus distorted. In a way that is as blatant to industry experts as it is misleading to the average consumer. The latter is fraudulently led to believe, for example, that the quality of Inalpi’s ‘Milk Slices – Emmental’ is superior to Tiger slices.
In the example cited, 20% authentic Emmentaler out of the 51% of Swiss cheeses declared on Tiger slices represents 10% of the finished product. While 75% ‘Emmental’ reported on an undefined amount of the ingredient ‘cheeses’, in the respective Inalpi ‘Slices of Milk’ could express 20-30% of the finished product. (4) That is, one-third, or at any rate less than half of the proclaimed 75%.
‘Cheddar’ cases, to Mondelez and Inalpi brands
The ‘new arrivals’ in the saga of processed cheese fraud have in common an American Sounding with references to the Yankee stars and stripes, and to the better-known cheese from across the Channel:
– Sottilette ‘Burger with Cheddar,’ Mondelez. Where Cheddar accounts for 82% of cheeses. The amount of which is deliberately concealed, within a copious ingredient list that includes (not even natural) cheese flavoring (!),
– ‘Slurpy Burger’ Inalpi. Again, the amount of Cheddar (75%) is displayed in relation to the ingredient ‘cheese,’ the amount of which is artfully omitted on the product.
‘And the fraud must go on‘. Until at least one of the many authorities called upon to oversee consumer protection with respect to food fraud decides to take action.
Dario Dongo
Notes
(1) The third culprit of trade fraud on processed cheeses, Galbani (Lactalis), limits its operation to processed cheeses with mozzarella, ed.
(2) SEE https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3278747/
(3) See reg. EU 1169/11, Article 22.1.a and Annex VIII, point 3
(4) Given that, according to insiders, the share of cheese in a processed cheese varies on average between 25 and 40 percent of the finished product
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
