Manuka honey, extra virgin olive oil, and truffles are among the goods many would keep on the shelf as a luxury item to serve up at a dinner party.
Are you spending money on gourmet food?
Prosecco and vanilla are just a few of the many highly sought after products that have seen companies jump at the chance to produce similar products for a very low price.
The result was widespread food fraud, which has seen supermarket shelves flooded with counterfeit Parmesan, Truffles, and Orange Juice.
How can you distinguish the real deal from an imitation parmesan? FEMAIL shows you how to ensure that you get the genuine deal
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

Nutritionists love Extra Virgin Olive Oil because of its many health benefits. It also has anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and other properties. However, it is often not true.

In the UK, all extra virgin olive oil must have the words: ‘the words ‘superior category olive oil obtained directly from olives and solely by mechanical means’’ on the label.
Nutritionists love Extra Virgin Olive Oil because of its many health benefits. It also has anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and antioxidant properties.
High end grocers sell the cooking elixir for as much as £20 for a 750ml bottle.
However, experts in the industry believe that approximately 80 percent of extra-virgin olive oils found worldwide aren’t really extra virgin.
Olive oil must have a pH of less than 0.8 percent to qualify as extra-virgin.
Acidity can be affected by the time between picking olives and taking them into the mill to cold-press.
If olives sit longer, their acidity level and oil quality will decrease.
A major factor in the final product is the cleanliness of its press.
According to the US Davis Olive Center, 69% of California’s extra-virgin olive oil imports had been reduced with less expensive oils or were ‘compromise’, meaning they did not meet strict quality standards.
All edible oils, other than olive oil and coconut oil requires chemical processing.
If a label says Olive Oil, it is refined and filtered. Virgin Olive Oil does not need to be refined, filtered or purified. Extra Virgin Olive Oil however is more refined and less purified.
Extra-virgin olive oil has to pass lab analysis and sensory tests set by the Madrid-based International Olive Council.
However, this oil can also be mixed with other olive oils before being bottled.
Experts recommend always purchasing extra virgin as it will make your product of lower quality.
PROSECCO

Sparkling Italian white wine made mostly from Glera grapes, is one of Britain’s most loved fizzes. But are you actually sipping real Prosecco?

Do you see a label of origin (to indicate the protected origin status of the bottle) on top? Do you see Prosecco written on the label? You may have bought sparkling wine made in Italy. However, it is not genuine Prosecco. Also, real Prosecco is only sold in bottles. If you buy it in cans or tap, it may not be 100% authentic Prosecco.
The sparking Italian white wine made mainly from Glera grapes is one of the most popular fizzes in the UK – but are you sipping on real Prosecco?
Prosecco is a protected designation of origin’. This means Prosecco DOC wines must be made in a particular area which is known historically for Prosecco production. Prosecco DOC names can be only used by those who are certified to follow the disciplinary guidelines. Some are just sparkling Italian wines.
A genuine Prosecco doesn’t always need to be fizzy like Champagne. It can also be tranquillo (still) or frizzante (“semi-sparkling”).
How to CheckDo you have a label of origin (to indicate the protected origin status of the bottle)? Do you see Prosecco written on the label? You may have bought sparkling wine made in Italy. However, it is not genuine Prosecco. Also, real Prosecco is only sold in bottles. If you buy it in cans or taps, it may not be 100% authentic Prosecco.
Lucia Giavi is the general manager for the Prosecco DOC Consortium. She explained that every bottle of Prosecco DOC should be stamped with a state marking which certifies the source and quality. Prosecco DOC wine can be distinguished from Prosecco DOC wine by the presence of a state mark that must be on each bottle.
TRUFFLE OIL & TRUFFLE SAUCE

Some truffle oils do not contain genuine truffle. You may find a cheaper version of truffle oil in a container than expected.
Some truffle oils do not contain genuine truffle. You may find a cheaper version of truffle oil in a container than expected.
Many oils do not contain truffles at all. Instead, they are made from olive oil and 2,4-dithiapentane. This compound gives off the distinct scent of truffles.
WHAT TO DO: Take a good look at the bottle you’ve bought.
Two things should make up the genuine item: truffles and olive oil.
You can be sure that there are other ingredients in the container.
If there are any ingredients that go beyond ‘truffles’ and olive oil, then it is likely to be synthetic.
ORANGE JUICE

Orange juices may contain only 15% of real juice. Some juices are made with other juices mixed in, but even these juices can still be made from oranges.

Drink 100 percent pure juice. Be aware of any juice drinks made from concentrate or other fruits juices.
This is not a matter of focusing on the word ‘concentrate’.
Orange juices may contain only 15% of real juice. Some juices are made with other juices mixed in, but even these juices can still be made from oranges.
WHAT TO DO:You can only drink 100% pure juice if you avoid any juice drinks that are made with concentrates or other juices.
HONEY AND MANUKA HONEY

Manuka honey is super healthy and is made in Australia or New Zealand. However, many of the jars sold on UK shelves might not contain real manuka.

Be wary of anything that claims ‘blend with non-EU honeys’. It may contain sugar syrups.
Manuka, a super-healthy honey that is made in Australia and New Zealand, is loved by celebrities for its antibacterial and viral properties. But many UK jars may not have the true thing.
A 2014 study found that only one out of seven samples of so-called manuka honey was found to have the required amount of the active ingredient, and a year earlier, it was discovered that there was more honey on UK supermarket shelves with the label than had been produced in an entire year.
Many manuka honeys – which can cost more than £100 a jar – are blended with common, table honeys to reduce the normally high price of the genuine product, which also reduces the health benefits.
Fake honey can also be used to make’regular’ honey. FEMAIL was informed by Sarah Wyndham Lewis, a London honey sommelier. She revealed that the practice of “honey-laundering” is so common in Europe that 10 million beehives could die. This is a particularly serious issue in the UK, where 86 per cent of the approximately 50,000 tonnes of honey Brits consume are imported.
Sarah, who runs sustainable beekeeping practice Bermondsey Street Bees with her beekeeper husband, added that honey is a luxury good and real honey can cost up to £8 a jar – and that it should be treated as a luxury good because it takes 12 bees their whole lifetime to make just one teaspoon of honey.
However, honey-laundering is now so widespread that budget supermarkets are selling it for as little as 80p – far lower than the cost of production (about £3.50 per kilo).
Honey Authenticity Project conducted a study in 2020 which revealed that 13 honey brands had been subject to over 240 testing by FoodQS. This German accredited laboratory is certified.
Nine products were tested, including Co-op Clear Honey 454g and Tesco Clear Honey 340g. It was found to contain psicose. Psicose is a sugar that doesn’t normally exist in honey.
Ten out of 13 samples, including Asda Set Pure Honey as well Sainsbury’s Clear Honey were tested for enzymes. This indicates that the honey may have been ‘adulterated inverted syrup’.
BALSAMIC VINEGAR

After millions of dollars worth of fake balsamic vinegar was confiscated in Italy, retailers were warned that they should inspect their shelves for the imitation. Investigators confiscated £13million of low-grade vinegar made out of cheaper grapes.

Aceto Balsamico Traditionale is the label for balsamic vinegar. It also carries a D.O.P. (Denominazione di Origine Protetta) stamp.
Following the seizure of millions of dollars of counterfeit balsamic vinegar in Italy, 2019, sellers were warned to inspect their shelves and beware of imitation balsamic. Investigators confiscated £13million of low-grade vinegar made out of cheaper grapes.
Authorities stressed the imitation version is not dangerous – but it is not authentic balsamic, so shoppers could be paying over the odds for a poor man’s copy.
The EU’s protected foods program requires that true balsamic must be produced only in Modena and Reggio Emilia. Only certain varieties of grapes can be used. Bottles cost anything from £3 for mass-produced versions to a staggering £350 for 50-year-old vintages.
Operation Global Wine was a fraud investigation that seized products made of low-grade grapes and fake authenticity documents.
It was the worst harvest of grapes in Italy for 60 years. This may have resulted in low quality grapes being used as vinegar.
VANILLA

About 94% of vanilla flavorings used in food industries (37,286 tonnes) are synthetic vanilla. Natural vanilla extract accounts for the rest (6 percent). This means that you have probably had fake vanilla.
The food industry uses synthetic vanilla for approximately 94 percent (37.286 tons). Natural vanilla extract makes up the majority of the remaining 6 percent. This is likely why you probably have eaten fake vanilla.
Real vanilla is expensive – worth more than its weight in silver – at around £228 per kg, due to complex environmental and political reasons driving up the price.
Companies have used castoreum before to keep their prices low. It is a substance that’s excreted by a beaver.
German chemists have discovered that vanilla pods do not contain vanillin. Instead, it can be extracted directly from the conifer plant.
How to CheckPre-made vanilla goodies are availableA mixture of synthetic vinegar and ually makes it easy to determine if You can verify that extract is genuine by checking the label.
Vanilla extract is prepared by boiling split vanilla beans, ethanol, and water.
GROUND COFFEE

A video posted by a doctor at the NHS last year showing insects in coffee beans was viral.
A video posted by a doctor at the NHS last year showing insects in coffee beans was viral.
A British resident, Dr Karan Raj explained to me that coffee grounds often contain cockroaches or other insects in their ingredients. This should be avoided for those suffering from allergies.
The pre-ground coffee you buy in stores has a small amount of cockroaches. Some coffee beans are infested with cockroaches or other pests at a certain percentage.
“Usually, they cannot be fully processed. He explained that they are roasted with coffee beans and then ground together.
“Most food authorities permit a certain amount of bugs in their food. The protein content of cockroaches is high. Cockroaches can be allergic so I would avoid pre-ground coffee.
He added: “Many people involved in coffee processing are allergic to cockroaches due to constant handling of the beans.”
WHAT TO DO: Unfortunately, there’s no way of knowing this as grounds sellers don’t need to disclose this. The best way to avoid eating cockroaches, is to purchase beans and then grind them yourself.
PARMESAN

According to a 2016 study, cheese labeled 100 percent Parmesan in the US had wood.

After approval and inspection, Real Parmigiano Reggiano will be embossed at each wheel. After inspection and approval by the Consortium, the embossed letter will include dotted letters that contain the name, production date, as well as the seal of approval.

On smaller slices, this can be harder to identify. A good tip is to put the Parmigiano Reggiano symbol on your label.
According to a 2016 study, cheese labeled 100 percent Parmesan in the US had wood.
Some brands might not even include cheese in their products.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) processed a report Castle Cheese is being criticized for its sale of ‘Parmesan’ products using cut-rate substitutes such as wood.
FDA suspects that other Parmesan grated suppliers were filling their products with excessive cellulose, a commonly used anti-clumping agent made of wood pulp.
Others added lower-quality cheeses to the mix such as cheddar and Romano.
This is less common in the UK because of higher food standards. However, imitation cheeses are easy to find.
WHAT TO DO: Authentic Parmesan comes from fewer than 500 cheese makers.
Real Parmigiano-Reggiano is embossed at the wheel after inspection and approval by the Consortium.
The cheese will be labelled with dotted letters indicating the name and date of its production as well as the seal of approval from the Consortium.
This can be trickier to spot on smaller slices – so a good thing to look out for is the Parmigiano-Reggiano symbol on the label.