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Sorting the Beef from the Bull: The Science of Food Fraud Forensics
Horse meat in our burgers, melamine in our infant formula, artificial colors in our fish and fruit--as our urban lifestyle takes us farther away from our food sources, there are increasing opportunities for dishonesty, duplicity, and profit-making shortcuts. Food adulteration, motivated by money, is an issue that has spanned the globe throughout human history. Whether it's a matter of making a good quality oil stretch a bit further by adding a little extra "something" or labeling a food falsely to appeal to current consumer trends--it's all food fraud. Consumers may pay the ultimate costs for these crimes, with their health and, in some cases, their lives. So how do we sort the beef from the bull (or horse, as the case may be)?
Illustrious analytical chemist Richard Evershed and science writer Nicola Temple explain the scientific tools and techniques that have revealed the century's biggest food fraud scams. They explore the arms race between scientists and adulterators as better techniques for detection spur more creative and sophisticated means of adulteration, and review the up-and-coming techniques and devices that will help the industry and consumers fight food fraud in the future. Engagingly written, SORTING THE BEEF FROM THE BULL lifts the lid on the forensics involved, and brings to light the full story of a fascinating and underreported world of applied science.
Illustrious analytical chemist Richard Evershed and science writer Nicola Temple explain the scientific tools and techniques that have revealed the century's biggest food fraud scams. They explore the arms race between scientists and adulterators as better techniques for detection spur more creative and sophisticated means of adulteration, and review the up-and-coming techniques and devices that will help the industry and consumers fight food fraud in the future. Engagingly written, SORTING THE BEEF FROM THE BULL lifts the lid on the forensics involved, and brings to light the full story of a fascinating and underreported world of applied science.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published April 26, 2016
23 people are currently reading
832 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
July 5, 2016
You may be forgiven for never wanting to eat again when you’ve read this book and learnt about some of the attempts to rip off the food customer over time. Food fraud is sadly big business and despite scientific advances and greater observation it is still taking place, each and every day.
The author serves up a comprehensive look at what some of us have been eating and it is very unpleasant, concerning reading. In many ways, we are allowing ourselves to be taken advantage of, since we are increasingly further and further away from the source of food and we don’t necessarily really know what happens along the food chain. Maybe a little additive falls into an oil to increase the profit margin for someone, maybe meat is “refreshed� to make it eatable or usable within bulk production or maybe what we think is a premium product has more humble origins.
This is though a fascinating read. The authors explain how food frauds have been detected and how there can be a bit of an arms race between those who will rip us off and those who are charged with detecting such abuses.
Science is wonderful yet it can have some less-desirable attributes too. Everyone knows what happens to a cut apple, for example, within a short time; yet chemical additives apparently can make a one-week cut apple seem like new� as long as you don’t mind a deceptive chemical cocktail as a side-serving. How would you know if your vegetable oil has been adulterated short of drinking it�? Vegetable oil is a commonly adulterated product and whilst it might do the job it is intended to, maybe it is not as pure and clear as you think but get it wrong and it can be deadly.
All of this is before the clear scandals that achieve national and international news, such as the horse meat scandal in the United Kingdom or the addition of melamine into milk powders in China. This is a comprehensive read that will keep you focussed. You will be amazed, appalled and intrigued at the same time. Essential reading, whether you are a curious reader or working within the food industry.
Will you look at food again in the same way?
The author serves up a comprehensive look at what some of us have been eating and it is very unpleasant, concerning reading. In many ways, we are allowing ourselves to be taken advantage of, since we are increasingly further and further away from the source of food and we don’t necessarily really know what happens along the food chain. Maybe a little additive falls into an oil to increase the profit margin for someone, maybe meat is “refreshed� to make it eatable or usable within bulk production or maybe what we think is a premium product has more humble origins.
This is though a fascinating read. The authors explain how food frauds have been detected and how there can be a bit of an arms race between those who will rip us off and those who are charged with detecting such abuses.
Science is wonderful yet it can have some less-desirable attributes too. Everyone knows what happens to a cut apple, for example, within a short time; yet chemical additives apparently can make a one-week cut apple seem like new� as long as you don’t mind a deceptive chemical cocktail as a side-serving. How would you know if your vegetable oil has been adulterated short of drinking it�? Vegetable oil is a commonly adulterated product and whilst it might do the job it is intended to, maybe it is not as pure and clear as you think but get it wrong and it can be deadly.
All of this is before the clear scandals that achieve national and international news, such as the horse meat scandal in the United Kingdom or the addition of melamine into milk powders in China. This is a comprehensive read that will keep you focussed. You will be amazed, appalled and intrigued at the same time. Essential reading, whether you are a curious reader or working within the food industry.
Will you look at food again in the same way?
August 10, 2019
To be fair, I must acknowledge that as I have worked in food safety for the best part of the last two decades, I'm probably not the most representative reader or reviewer of this book in terms of its general appeal. That said, there was a lot about this that I found interesting, as well as some aspects that didn't hold my attention so much.
Here, the authors discuss the field of food forensics - basically 'stuff being in your food that's not meant to be there' - with a focus on a number of particular areas, case studies of where fraud has occurred in the past, and how scientists are looking to detect these adulterations. There are a lot of very illustrative examples, several of which (substitution of fish containing indigestible waxy oils causing anal leakage, for example) I found enjoyable to read about. As a book sitting somewhere between an introduction and a reference book on the field, I would certainly recommend it.
However, as my personal field of interest is more food safety than food authenticity, I was less bothered about reading about some aspects of the field (e.g. selling Pacific cod as Atlantic cod, rebottling of 1950s wine to pretend it is greater vintage, and adding second press olive oil to extra virgin to increase profit margins) than about dangers to food health (nuts in cumin, melamine in baby milk, antifreeze in wine). Though I understand the importance of being sure what you are buying is what it says, there to me were times when it felt like a lot of fuss about something quite trivial - compared to the number of people affected by foodborne disease (which to the authors' credit, is very much acknowledged).
There was also a lot of scientific content in there - perfectly understandable, but it gave the book a slightly odd balance flitting between a more popular-science tone of discussing case studies and relatable examples, then shifting to detail the principles of mitochondrial DNA fingerprinting, isotopic analysis and high performance liquid chromatography in more technical terms than maybe was necessary.
Nevertheless, my medium rating more reflects my slight disappointment with the reading experience, as opposed to a reflection on what is a fine primer to an interesting subject.
Here, the authors discuss the field of food forensics - basically 'stuff being in your food that's not meant to be there' - with a focus on a number of particular areas, case studies of where fraud has occurred in the past, and how scientists are looking to detect these adulterations. There are a lot of very illustrative examples, several of which (substitution of fish containing indigestible waxy oils causing anal leakage, for example) I found enjoyable to read about. As a book sitting somewhere between an introduction and a reference book on the field, I would certainly recommend it.
However, as my personal field of interest is more food safety than food authenticity, I was less bothered about reading about some aspects of the field (e.g. selling Pacific cod as Atlantic cod, rebottling of 1950s wine to pretend it is greater vintage, and adding second press olive oil to extra virgin to increase profit margins) than about dangers to food health (nuts in cumin, melamine in baby milk, antifreeze in wine). Though I understand the importance of being sure what you are buying is what it says, there to me were times when it felt like a lot of fuss about something quite trivial - compared to the number of people affected by foodborne disease (which to the authors' credit, is very much acknowledged).
There was also a lot of scientific content in there - perfectly understandable, but it gave the book a slightly odd balance flitting between a more popular-science tone of discussing case studies and relatable examples, then shifting to detail the principles of mitochondrial DNA fingerprinting, isotopic analysis and high performance liquid chromatography in more technical terms than maybe was necessary.
Nevertheless, my medium rating more reflects my slight disappointment with the reading experience, as opposed to a reflection on what is a fine primer to an interesting subject.
April 12, 2016
Rating: 3.5/5
I resolved to read more non-fiction this year, and Sorting the Beef from the Bull was a fascinating addition to my shelf. It does get a bit science-heavy at times, but it’s incredibly interesting to read about the various food fraud scams that take place, and how analysts try to figure out what’s going on � think CSI of the culinary world.
From substituting meat species, to adding extra water or other dodgy substitutes to bulk up the contents, mislabelling different types of fish/meat/veg to fetch a higher price or get around endangered species lists, and creating fake milk, eggs, and vintage wines, it’s astonishing just how much room there is for manipulating the food that we eat. And it makes sense, when you think about it � we are so far removed from the days of growing our own veg in the garden and bartering with the neighbour for some eggs, and there is now a massive distance between the consumer and producer, with many chain links in between, all with the potential to interfere with the quality or quantity of the stuff we put in our mouths.
Furthermore, while some of the scams mentioned in the book result in nothing more than ripping off the customer or reducing the quality of the product, others have resulted in fatal consequences. The book goes chapter by chapter through the different food groups � meat, fish, vegetables, etc, and details the way that fraud can take place, and how food scientists and other watchdogs try to combat this. It’s particularly difficult for the scientists, because they can only test for the chemicals/substances that they know to look for � if they’re not looking for X ingredient in the product, they won’t pick it up.
Overall, an relevant, fairly easy to read book packed with fascinating facts that may have you looking twice at the contents of your dinner plate.
Free copy received from Jonathan Ball publishers in exchange for an honest review.
I resolved to read more non-fiction this year, and Sorting the Beef from the Bull was a fascinating addition to my shelf. It does get a bit science-heavy at times, but it’s incredibly interesting to read about the various food fraud scams that take place, and how analysts try to figure out what’s going on � think CSI of the culinary world.
From substituting meat species, to adding extra water or other dodgy substitutes to bulk up the contents, mislabelling different types of fish/meat/veg to fetch a higher price or get around endangered species lists, and creating fake milk, eggs, and vintage wines, it’s astonishing just how much room there is for manipulating the food that we eat. And it makes sense, when you think about it � we are so far removed from the days of growing our own veg in the garden and bartering with the neighbour for some eggs, and there is now a massive distance between the consumer and producer, with many chain links in between, all with the potential to interfere with the quality or quantity of the stuff we put in our mouths.
Furthermore, while some of the scams mentioned in the book result in nothing more than ripping off the customer or reducing the quality of the product, others have resulted in fatal consequences. The book goes chapter by chapter through the different food groups � meat, fish, vegetables, etc, and details the way that fraud can take place, and how food scientists and other watchdogs try to combat this. It’s particularly difficult for the scientists, because they can only test for the chemicals/substances that they know to look for � if they’re not looking for X ingredient in the product, they won’t pick it up.
Overall, an relevant, fairly easy to read book packed with fascinating facts that may have you looking twice at the contents of your dinner plate.
Free copy received from Jonathan Ball publishers in exchange for an honest review.
February 14, 2018
A thorough examination of how entrenched and insidious food fraud has become in the pursuit of greed and profit. This book is quite heavy on the science side but there's still plenty of investigative shock horror that will keep laypersons interested.
I'm reasonably familiar with food fraud but I'm armed with new trivia including the use of brick dust to stretch chilli powder, dried papaya seeds adulterating peppercorns, and the dangerous addition of peanut and almond shells to pad out cumin. And then there's the use of undisclosed beef plasma to gelatinise fish mush to turn into surimi seafood sticks. Eep.
I'm reasonably familiar with food fraud but I'm armed with new trivia including the use of brick dust to stretch chilli powder, dried papaya seeds adulterating peppercorns, and the dangerous addition of peanut and almond shells to pad out cumin. And then there's the use of undisclosed beef plasma to gelatinise fish mush to turn into surimi seafood sticks. Eep.
January 30, 2018
Название русскоязычной версии "Состав: как нас обманывают производители продуктов питания" вводит в заблуждение относительно содержания книги.
Вы не найдете никаких полезных с практической точки зрения знаний, которые вы сможете использовать совершая покупки.
Это публицистика с уклоном в науку будет интересна любителям теорий заговоров. Информация подана в виде потока фактов, цифр и формул.
Вы не найдете никаких полезных с практической точки зрения знаний, которые вы сможете использовать совершая покупки.
Это публицистика с уклоном в науку будет интересна любителям теорий заговоров. Информация подана в виде потока фактов, цифр и формул.
June 24, 2017
Очень скучно читать. Много информации о том как тестируют продукты в лабараториях. Вывод ешьте цельное, местное и не самое дешевое.
May 17, 2017
I got this book from our local library because food safety is an issue that interests me. Coming from a farm family I have a natural interest in issues revolving around agriculture and food. At different points along the way I've even thought about beinga food and ag scientist. Certainly some of the people I most admirefit that bill (Norman Borlaug and Kevin Folta.)
Sorting the Beef from the Bull is about a part of food science that I hadn't really thought much about- food fraud. It takes on the tricks that fraudsters use to adulterate, fake or mislabel foods and the science used to sort the real thing from the fake. It also delves into the history of food fraud and the societal settings that allow fraud to happen.
You can take this book one of two ways. First you can get really grossed out, worried and paranoid about your food. After all this book covers a multitude of scams that have caused people to get sick because of the adulteration's.Plus you'll find out about things like plastic in rice and rodent hairs in spices and rotten meat being disguised and sold. It is disgusting, and I do not recommend reading this right before a meal.
You COULD read this book and decide that you have to move to some sort of commune and grow/raise all your own food.
However, that is certainly not what the authors are going for. Which brings me to the second way you can take all of the info in the book, you can embrace the science AND be a more educated consumer. My two biggest take-aways were that science is getting better all the time at beingable to detect problems with our food and that you get what you pay for.
Most of the food fraud is driven by greed, often preying on those looking for a deal. Over and over again the scams were a deal that was "too good to be true." Olive oil being sold door-to-door in Spain was a really good deal until it sent thousands to the hospital. Baby formula in China was half the price of the normal brands, it turned out to have melamine in it. There are lots of examples like this in the book.But more so, there is in-depth descriptions of the science behind keeping our food safe and detecting frauds.
They do use lots of big science-y words in the book, which could cause some readers to gloss over the good news (science is catching the bad guys) and just focus on the bad. I hope you won't do that.
Science is awesome! This book proves that. From DNA databases, to electronic noses and tongues,to tools to flag items that may become vulnerable to fraud this book is filled with exciting advances. Behind the headlines of the foodscandals are scientists and others hard at work to keep our food safe.
Bottom Line:
I really enjoyed this book. You'll enjoy it too if the sciencedoesn't bog you down and you don't focus too much on the gross-out factor.
Sorting the Beef from the Bull is about a part of food science that I hadn't really thought much about- food fraud. It takes on the tricks that fraudsters use to adulterate, fake or mislabel foods and the science used to sort the real thing from the fake. It also delves into the history of food fraud and the societal settings that allow fraud to happen.
You can take this book one of two ways. First you can get really grossed out, worried and paranoid about your food. After all this book covers a multitude of scams that have caused people to get sick because of the adulteration's.Plus you'll find out about things like plastic in rice and rodent hairs in spices and rotten meat being disguised and sold. It is disgusting, and I do not recommend reading this right before a meal.
You COULD read this book and decide that you have to move to some sort of commune and grow/raise all your own food.
However, that is certainly not what the authors are going for. Which brings me to the second way you can take all of the info in the book, you can embrace the science AND be a more educated consumer. My two biggest take-aways were that science is getting better all the time at beingable to detect problems with our food and that you get what you pay for.
Most of the food fraud is driven by greed, often preying on those looking for a deal. Over and over again the scams were a deal that was "too good to be true." Olive oil being sold door-to-door in Spain was a really good deal until it sent thousands to the hospital. Baby formula in China was half the price of the normal brands, it turned out to have melamine in it. There are lots of examples like this in the book.But more so, there is in-depth descriptions of the science behind keeping our food safe and detecting frauds.
They do use lots of big science-y words in the book, which could cause some readers to gloss over the good news (science is catching the bad guys) and just focus on the bad. I hope you won't do that.
Science is awesome! This book proves that. From DNA databases, to electronic noses and tongues,to tools to flag items that may become vulnerable to fraud this book is filled with exciting advances. Behind the headlines of the foodscandals are scientists and others hard at work to keep our food safe.
Bottom Line:
I really enjoyed this book. You'll enjoy it too if the sciencedoesn't bog you down and you don't focus too much on the gross-out factor.
February 26, 2016
"Sorting the Beef from the Bull" describes various types of food fraud and what scientists and consumers can do about it. While there is some "science talk" when describing how food fraud can be detected, the authors did a good job of explaining those tests in a way that non-scientists can follow. If you can follow a CSI-type show, then you can follow this book.
The authors started by giving an overview of food adulteration, then they described the origins of food fraud detection and compared it to what's currently being done about it. Next they looked at specific categories of food and described past methods of adulteration, what scientists can do to detect that adulteration, and what the consumer can do to avoid it.
The categories they covered were vegetable oil (including rapeseed, maize, and olive oil); fish; beef; milk, butter, and cheese; spices (including pepper, paprika, cayenne, chillies, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, ginger, nutmeg, saffron, salt, turmeric, and vanilla); beverages (including juice and wine); and whole fruits, vegetables, grains, and seeds.
The cases came from all over the world, but they mainly looked at cases in the UK, USA, and China. I appreciate that the authors gave advice on how the average consumer can try to avoid or detect adulterated products. I'm glad I'm informed now, and I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about food fraud.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
The authors started by giving an overview of food adulteration, then they described the origins of food fraud detection and compared it to what's currently being done about it. Next they looked at specific categories of food and described past methods of adulteration, what scientists can do to detect that adulteration, and what the consumer can do to avoid it.
The categories they covered were vegetable oil (including rapeseed, maize, and olive oil); fish; beef; milk, butter, and cheese; spices (including pepper, paprika, cayenne, chillies, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, ginger, nutmeg, saffron, salt, turmeric, and vanilla); beverages (including juice and wine); and whole fruits, vegetables, grains, and seeds.
The cases came from all over the world, but they mainly looked at cases in the UK, USA, and China. I appreciate that the authors gave advice on how the average consumer can try to avoid or detect adulterated products. I'm glad I'm informed now, and I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about food fraud.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
July 25, 2016
A very eye-opening and well-researched book which, though not without a (rather British) sense of humor, is quite dead serious about "fraudulent" food and the science behind both its production and its detection. It can get repetitive at times, and some sections are arguably more informative than others, but its worth a read for anyone who cares about what they eat, what they believe they're paying for, and the global implications of such decisions.
** I received a Review Copy of this book via NetGalley **
** I received a Review Copy of this book via NetGalley **
January 7, 2019
Very science based so need a good health science base to understand a lot of content. I really enjoyed it and it makes you never want to eat something ever again .. until your tummy starts growling. Very interesting though!!! A lot of things you just take for granted
April 3, 2023
Another non-fiction book done. I found it interesting enough but super repetitive. Skimmed through the details of scientific testing used to detect food fraud. Definitely eye opening and I’m glad I read it so that I’m now aware of all the fraudulent food activities, but definitely would not read again.
Things I found interesting and thoughts:
- There is literally food fraud in every category of food, including wine, milk, meat, fruit, spices and oils!
- Some plants prefer CO2 with C13 isotope, some prefer C14 isotope. This can be used to detect origins of plants or foods.
- Manuka honey is produced almost exclusively in New Zealand.
- In the UK, they found horse DNA/meat in what was labelled as beef. This scandal was called Horsegate.
- Lots of fucked up food fraud which has led to deaths such as the Melamine scandal in milk in China. I really wanted to read more about this but the book didn’t elaborate.
- Heaps of added chemicals in food! Not just highly processed foods but also on fruit and vege to help preserve it, one of which is Formaldehyde- the shit to preserve cadavers in wet labs eek. We’re probably eating heaps of toxic shit daily. Mum was right when she said you gotta wash all your fruit and vege thoroughly before eating. Avoid fruit juices, better to buy whole fruit and juice them yourself.
- Cows milk has lots of healthy proteins and vitamins. Need to drink more milk.
- Learnt the difference between butter and margarine, ones made from milk and the other from vegetable oil etc.
- I should try and eat more mindfully.
- So much science and chemistry used in detecting food fraud. Some techniques include mass spectrometry, NMR, PCR etc. The booked explained all the different tests but I was not in the frame of mind to commit any to memory.
I rate this book a 3.5/10 just because I found it boring and not super engaging, but in saying that it had some interesting facts.
Things I found interesting and thoughts:
- There is literally food fraud in every category of food, including wine, milk, meat, fruit, spices and oils!
- Some plants prefer CO2 with C13 isotope, some prefer C14 isotope. This can be used to detect origins of plants or foods.
- Manuka honey is produced almost exclusively in New Zealand.
- In the UK, they found horse DNA/meat in what was labelled as beef. This scandal was called Horsegate.
- Lots of fucked up food fraud which has led to deaths such as the Melamine scandal in milk in China. I really wanted to read more about this but the book didn’t elaborate.
- Heaps of added chemicals in food! Not just highly processed foods but also on fruit and vege to help preserve it, one of which is Formaldehyde- the shit to preserve cadavers in wet labs eek. We’re probably eating heaps of toxic shit daily. Mum was right when she said you gotta wash all your fruit and vege thoroughly before eating. Avoid fruit juices, better to buy whole fruit and juice them yourself.
- Cows milk has lots of healthy proteins and vitamins. Need to drink more milk.
- Learnt the difference between butter and margarine, ones made from milk and the other from vegetable oil etc.
- I should try and eat more mindfully.
- So much science and chemistry used in detecting food fraud. Some techniques include mass spectrometry, NMR, PCR etc. The booked explained all the different tests but I was not in the frame of mind to commit any to memory.
I rate this book a 3.5/10 just because I found it boring and not super engaging, but in saying that it had some interesting facts.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2022
Upon reading this book, one may no longer wish to consume food. It is a rehearsal of the many ways in which bad people have fooled good people into buying and eating food that was fake, spoiled, contaminated, fraudulently labeled, adulterated and/or otherwise unfit for human consumption. Reading something over three hundred pages of examples and one's appetite wanes. Here are a few examples. Expensive honey is "extended" by the addition of cheap corn syrup. Ground-up horse meat is added to ground beef. Fruit juice is diluted. Cheap fish are labeled and sold as expensive fish. Expensive olive oil is diluted with cheap vegetable oils. Expired dried herbs and spices are relabeled with new expiration dates. Not-really-organic produce is labeled (and priced) as organic. Cheap alcohol is added to wine and spirits. Beef and pork past their sell-by date are washed, chemically "refreshed" and repackaged. Formaldehyde is sprayed on "fresh" fruit to extend shelf life. A remarkable number of things, not listed on the label, end up in pureed baby foods sold in jars. Meats advertised as free-range are nothing of the sort. Plastic is added to processed cheese. Shrimp raised in the equivalent of salt-water sewers are sold as "wild caught." There are a variety of solutions discussed: tougher government standards and tighter international controls. But these things take money and, unless somebody dies from food fraud, it is difficult to mobilize public opinion. Governments are also faced with organized international crime which is tough to combat. The development of scientific methods of detection is slow to produce the techniques and equipment necessary. In the interim, the best defense against food fraud is a well-informed consumer, hence this book.
May 3, 2021
Sigh. I unfortunately am of two minds on this: first of all, it's positively disgusting what people attempt to and succeed in doing to global foodstuffs; second of all, so many particulars are, to me, totally unimportant and overemphasized by today's American society. That being said, when an item is sold and/or LABELED as a particular thing � even "organic" which is a misused and a totally misunderstood thing � it DAM* well ought to be that thing!
It was interesting and useful to read that there are techniques available to examine the truth of what's being sold or advertised, but it's truly depressing how many types of the various things that we eat and or drink are being faked and or altered! Meats, honey, milk, cheese, alcohols, juices � you name it. I'm happy to see that some countries appear to be taking things seriously, and I'm extremely happy that I don't live in China or Maui, or any number of primarily Asian or African countries, but I don't doubt that even in the US, if people think they can get away with it, they probably will. Fortunately, for the most part, our government agencies prohibit or dampen needs and desires of the food fraudsters.
An informative look and study!
It was interesting and useful to read that there are techniques available to examine the truth of what's being sold or advertised, but it's truly depressing how many types of the various things that we eat and or drink are being faked and or altered! Meats, honey, milk, cheese, alcohols, juices � you name it. I'm happy to see that some countries appear to be taking things seriously, and I'm extremely happy that I don't live in China or Maui, or any number of primarily Asian or African countries, but I don't doubt that even in the US, if people think they can get away with it, they probably will. Fortunately, for the most part, our government agencies prohibit or dampen needs and desires of the food fraudsters.
An informative look and study!
July 19, 2017
A super review into what goes into the food we buy at the super market.
If you are a core vegetarian or exclude specific animals like beef/ pork from your meat intake, please dont read this book - there is disconcerting information.
The author has covered a huge range of topics in a easily readable manner and I am totally impressed by it, especially considering that this is a highly technical topic that affects our day to day lives.
If you are a core vegetarian or exclude specific animals like beef/ pork from your meat intake, please dont read this book - there is disconcerting information.
The author has covered a huge range of topics in a easily readable manner and I am totally impressed by it, especially considering that this is a highly technical topic that affects our day to day lives.
May 5, 2019
Довольно много подробностей лабораторных исследований и довольно мало практических советов: не кидайся на дешевое, покупай цельные продукты, узнавай больше, ешь местное и т.п. Тем не менее, must read для тех, кто никогда ничего не слышал про махинации с продуктами питания и вообще не задумывается о том, кто и как произвёл его (ее) еду.
June 8, 2018
As in pretty much every book about food industry problems I’ve read, there is a noticeable lack of any actionable solutions for broke folks. This book specifically only mentions the existence of poverty as a sort of bygone misfortune of ye olden times, which is kind of degrading tbqh.
February 12, 2023
This was a very insightful book, though disconcerting. I would say it is a relevant read to anyone interested in what goes into their food.
December 3, 2023
I highly recommend this book, but I also suggest that you never read it if you ever want to eat anything every again! You really don’t want to know what they have bulked out dried coriander with�
March 17, 2017
Easy casual read, some interesting factoids and more food testing science information than you'll ever need.
March 6, 2017
While not an easy read, certainly an entertaining one. The authors do not skimp of technical speak, nor do they water down the content to fit every reader. One will find an excellent book for anyone interested in biochemistry, genetics, or where/ how food comes to the consumer.
A very good read
A very good read
September 19, 2017
Очень хорошая книга и очень поучительная. По таким обязательно нужно преподавать в школе, как и предлагает Джейми Оливер.
May 4, 2016
Fake eggs. Fake milk. Synthetic cow dung bulking out a spice. Grass seed coloured with charcoal dust masquerading as another spice. Silver nanoparticles used to coat fruit and vegetables. I’m making this up? Alas! No. All are mentioned in Richard Evershed and Nicola Temple’s excellent book on food fraud.
Fabricated eggs are a Chinese speciality. Fake milk is widely available in India. Is there anything we need to look out for in Western Europe, now that the horse meat scandal is over? Mysteriously, the amount of honey sold is several times that produced. Likewise for olive oil. There is rampant mislabelling of fish. Cheaper species are substituted for more expensive, and farmed salmon for wild. Prawns can be overgrazed, and fish fillets soaked in tripolyphosphate (E451), so that they absorb water. In many small, and sometimes not-so-small ways, fraudsters can find ways of ripping us off, endangering our health and giving rise to conservation concerns.
Thwarting the activities of the fraudsters, and matching their ingenuity, are forensic scientists. Chemical tests, microscopy, chromatography, spectroscopy are all employed in a battle of wits. DNA analysis can determine a species and stable isotope analysis give a food, or drink’s, exact geographical origin.
This is not a book for the squeamish, and some people may find the science daunting; but it is so well written and full of interesting information that it is hard to put down. The authors stress that food fraud is something that involves us all, and give down-to-earth ways in which we can protect ourselves. Buy food which is recognisable, with as few links in the food chain as possible. Choose whole fruit rather than juices. Avoid cheap olive oil and vodka. Grind your own spices, or substitute locally grown herbs for spices. Educate your nose and your palate so that you can differentiate the genuine from the fake. These are some of their recommendations. Don’t worry about what you eat is mine. Buy this book and share the information.
Fabricated eggs are a Chinese speciality. Fake milk is widely available in India. Is there anything we need to look out for in Western Europe, now that the horse meat scandal is over? Mysteriously, the amount of honey sold is several times that produced. Likewise for olive oil. There is rampant mislabelling of fish. Cheaper species are substituted for more expensive, and farmed salmon for wild. Prawns can be overgrazed, and fish fillets soaked in tripolyphosphate (E451), so that they absorb water. In many small, and sometimes not-so-small ways, fraudsters can find ways of ripping us off, endangering our health and giving rise to conservation concerns.
Thwarting the activities of the fraudsters, and matching their ingenuity, are forensic scientists. Chemical tests, microscopy, chromatography, spectroscopy are all employed in a battle of wits. DNA analysis can determine a species and stable isotope analysis give a food, or drink’s, exact geographical origin.
This is not a book for the squeamish, and some people may find the science daunting; but it is so well written and full of interesting information that it is hard to put down. The authors stress that food fraud is something that involves us all, and give down-to-earth ways in which we can protect ourselves. Buy food which is recognisable, with as few links in the food chain as possible. Choose whole fruit rather than juices. Avoid cheap olive oil and vodka. Grind your own spices, or substitute locally grown herbs for spices. Educate your nose and your palate so that you can differentiate the genuine from the fake. These are some of their recommendations. Don’t worry about what you eat is mine. Buy this book and share the information.
May 21, 2016
I received this book from NetGalley. The book is fast paced and gripping. It makes you both scared that what you're eating might not be what you think it is and angry that consumers are put in this position such that you want stiffer penalties and more enforcement. I had no idea how widespread food fraud and adulteration were including not just meat but products like eggs, juice, milk, wine, fish, cheese, beer, spices, and cooking oils. The lengths that companies will go to in order to cut corners and save money is astounding. The book includes a lot of data and case studies as well as looks back at food fraud throughout history. It explores the lengthy supply chains involved in food production and multiple points at which food adulteration and fraud can occur. It discusses the impacts of food fraud on health, the economy, and the environment. Fans of books like Silent Spring, Fast Food Nation, The Third Plate, or The Big Fat Surprise will love this book. It's a must read for everyone and a reminder to us all to question where our food comes from and support locovore and farm to fork eating.
September 26, 2016
A very interesting read if you've ever wondered about the process that goes into getting food to our supermarket and plate. At times it was quite biochemistry heavy when I was more interested in the scandal behind the science. I've already applied things I've learnt when I've been shopping and will try some of the spices tests too. I also felt it had a consistent narrative voice despite being written by two authors. Well worth reading - especially if you want to avoid eating horse again.
April 9, 2016
This book is an eye-opener! It makes you really think about what your food is, where it comes from, and whether it truly is what it claims to be. I learned a lot!
I received this book as an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book as an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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