Festive, low-calorie and rich in omega-3, scallops have many qualities, to the point of attracting thousands of gourmets every end of the year. Except that some of them, sold in the frozen food sections, turn out to be… full of water. A practice fraudulent unfortunately (very) common according to the magazine 60 million consumers, which investigated this seafood.
“The fraud repression department (DGCCRF) regularly observes incidentslabeling errors regarding addition water: products presented as being fresh indicate, in a little way
legible, that these are saumu productsres and/or with added water“, specify the experts.
Which products to turn to then to taste
Untampered scallops? In its latest issue, the magazine reveals the list of the worst and best nuts.
The scallop: an “exceptional” product of variable quality
If the nuts are sold at a high price on the shelves (around €20 per kilo, whether fresh or frozen)not all are equal nutritionally.
“The scallop has some good surprises in store. Except when you pay for water at the price of the walnut. On several references, our analyzes point to this practice which aims to artificially increase the weight of the products”, warns the magazine.
To help consumers make the right choices (and no longer pay high prices for water), the journal’s experts analyzed the composition of 15 references of frozen scallops, on which they carried out measurements of humidity (by thermogravimetry) and protein content (by quantification of nitrogen). A water/protein ratio could thus be established.
Then, the specialists looked for in said nuts:
- Nearly 800 pesticides;
- The presence of heavy metals (lead, mercury and cadmium);
- Possible plasticizers and microplastics.
Result ? Two benchmarks were particularly disappointing, followed closely by two others, scoring slightly above average.
Scallops: l4 brands to avoid
Two references were inflated with water without their packaging even mentioning it. Indeed, the inscription “preparation based on scallops” is obligatory when adding water or brine. But manufacturers don’t seem to care.
“In addition, the list of ingredients must mention the percentage of added water and the additives used to retain water, generally polyphosphates and citric acid. But this regulation can be poorly applied or even not respected,” recalls the magazine.
So much secrecy that ends up weighing on consumers’ wallets and health. Here are the 4 references to the particularly disappointing moisture/protein ratio:
- Nuts “Costa” scallops: 9.9/20;
- Nuts Saint-Jacques “Escal”: 9.9/20;
- Nuts Saint-Jacques “Leader Price”: 12.9/20;
- Nut of “Monoprix” scallops: 12.9/20.
Another observation noted by the investigators: all nuts contain heavy metals, in particular cadmium (mainly toxic to the kidneys), but at levels below the regulatory thresholds.
The big (and good) news? “No reference contains an agricultural pesticide, with the exception of a biocide detected in a nut imported from Argentina, a likely industrial contamination,” reports the magazine.
Which products should you ultimately turn to?
Two references obtain an excellent score – exceeding 17/20. These are:
- Of the Nuts Saint-Jacques de Normandie “Marès”: 17.9/20;
- Of the Nuts Saint-Jacques “Maison Thiriet”: 17.8/20.
According to the magazine, the “winning” scallop (Marès) also has many advantages.
“It has almost everything to please: the most popular species (Pecten maximus), fished in France, with a very low water content and almost free from pollutants, apart from traces of heavy metals. Small downside on the price, which we would have liked to be slightly lower”, concludes 60 Million Consumers.
And to have all the details of this ranking and other information for preparing your holiday meals, buy the latest issue of 60 million consumers.