Maple syrup quebec falsified

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Pierre-Olivier Zappa

Thursday, 25 January 2018 06:57

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Thursday, 25 January 2018 06:59

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Quebec producers of maple syrup dilute their product with the table syrup cheaper to achieve cost savings, has discovered the show “J. E.”.

A few months ago, the us customs have intercepted shipments of maple syrup in quebec tampered with.

No producer has been charged south of the border in relation to this alleged case of fraud food. But american officials are well aware of the folder, which you have not obtained permission to identify, has indicated that “the stocks seized were the subject of analyses showing the presence of sugar was not reported.

“The american buyers of this syrup have been informed,” they stated in the news report “J. E.” aired Thursday evening.

Up to now, few cases have however been identified in Quebec. “We have already detected the presence of added sugar in maple syrup,” says Marc Hamilton, president of the Group Environex.

His private laboratory is one of the only of its kind in Canada to analyze the purity of the food. Analyses commissioned by a client of his had already revealed the presence of syrup to be fraudulent.

Taken seriously

The industry of the maple takes seriously the threats posed by alteration of its products. “We get syrups from more than 2000 producers. A cane that is sold in groceries may contain syrups, forty maple”, points out Jean-Philippe Côté, head of quality control at Industries Bernard, in an interview with “J. E.”

To ensure the purity of maple syrup, the company invests hundreds of thousands of dollars per year in its department of quality assurance. Tests are conducted at its facility in Saint-Victor, Beauce, and others are ordered to outside laboratories.

Is it already happened to you that providers are trying to defraud Industries Bernard? “Quite !”, says Mr. Side. If the zero risk does not exist in any sector of the supply, he adds that the company educates its suppliers and ensures that its products are pure.

“Quebec has a lot of food and value-added of local products that can be targeted by the fraud in food, note of her next to Samuel Godefroy, professor of food safety at the University of Laval. It would help to protect us and to protect our industry.”

Inspections inadequate

In 2017, only five companies have been prosecuted by the canadian Agency of food inspection and convicted before the courts for defrauding their customers with food products.

“Fraudsters will always be one step ahead”, stresses Eric Marin, coordinator of the Food Fraud Network to the european Commission. It is estimated that squads of police specialized in the supply would enable us to better combat the phenomenon.

“Specialized cells with investigation powers such as spinning and searches allow you to file criminal charges. It can be shown that the intention of the fraudsters”, pleaded he.

The canadian Agency of food inspection is investigating this intervention model. “Is it that we need to make the connection tighter with the side criminal? This is what we look at,” says Aline Dimitri, director of the science of safety to the organization.