The Civil Guard, through SEPRONA, has arrested eleven people and investigated three companies for committing a food fraud in the marketing of afrazán which was actually molecularly modified gardenia. They face crimes against public health, fraud, against the market and consumers, and belonging to a criminal group.
The baptized as ‘Operation Garden‘, developed in the provinces of Malaga, Barcelona, Alicante, Granada and Almeria, has thus dismantled a coordinated criminal group that acted importing gardenia extracts from China from a dye production factory, which they passed off as saffron extract, manipulating the labels and documentation.
Already with the merchandise in Spain, it was stored and processed according to the requests of the clients to whom they sold the manipulated product, thus entering the national market through the big distribution chainsbeing put up for sale to the consumer under the false label of saffron, with the high price corresponding to this valuable condiment.
The method used by the criminal group to commit the fraud was based on decrease the concentration of the only molecule that differentiates to the pulverized saffron of the gardenia, until its almost total disappearance. According to the Civil Guard, this system was undetectable according to the techniques available at that time.
The gardenia is a common flower not recognized as a food product by the European Union, so it was imported without passing any health control thus not only committing fraud, but also failing to comply with European health and food quality protocols that must guarantee consumer safety.
How to recognize authentic saffron
Saffron is a highly valued product due to its peculiar characteristics that make it unique, high demand and very high price. Although it is not one of the foods that is the subject of the greatest fraud in the EU (oils, fish and honey), it is one of the most lucrative due to the benefits it brings.
The most common fraud committed with this condiment is to import foreign saffron and sell it as if it were national, generally Iranianof lower quality, or also mix the stamens of the flower with those of other species and even to dye the older product to simulate a more striking and fresh color.
To avoid possible problems, the best guarantee we have as consumers is to avoid the milled format, as in this case, which is easier to adulterate, and always go to trusted stores with guarantees. It is also convenient to check that the product is correctly labeledwith the date of production and preferential consumption or expiration, the producing company and the specific origin.
Saffron from La Mancha is also the only one recognized as a product with Appellation of origin for its quality, and therefore the only one that can be marketed with the seal that identifies the DO, whose Regulatory Council must ensure that the relevant requirements are met.
If it is authentic, the saffron gives off its unmistakable scent right out of the container; when tasting it, a clear slightly astringent bitter taste is perceived, very persistentand quickly stains any liquid it comes into contact with, further releasing its aromatic intensity.
In case of any doubt about the veracity of a food product or suspicion of fraud, we can report it to the authorities competent control authorities in each Autonomous Community, through consumer offices or health ministries.
Images | Unsplash – La Mancha saffron – Civil Guard
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