Your Almond Milk is Probably (Definitely) Fake
We all know that almond milk contains water, but did you have any idea that there’s only 2 percent almonds in an entire jug of the nutty stuff? A recent class action suit against Blue Diamond Growers claims that the brand is falsely advertising the contents in Almond Breeze, its dairy-free milk. While Blue Diamond doesn’t list what percentage of the almond milk is made from almonds in the United States, the U.K. Almond Breeze website reveals that it’s just 2 percent. So what exactly is in the bottle? The plaintiffs, Tracy Albert and Dimitrios Malaxianis, argue that it’s mostly water, sugar, carrageenan (a polysaccharide used for thickening), and sunflower lecithin (an emulsifier). The lawsuit was filed in New York on July 14, and though it doesn’t specify what percentage of almonds would be deemed acceptable for purchase, it does state that an extensive review of almond milk recipes require “one part almonds to three or four parts water, amounting to 25 to 33 percent almonds.”
http://www.delish.com/food-news/a43257/almond-milk-mislabeled-false-advertising/
Lear MoreDesigner products versus fakes
A Miami fashion blogger distinguishes knock-off products from designer goods after a Call Christina viewer was concerned that the bag she was buying wasn’t the designer label that she thought it was
http://www.local10.com/news/designer-products-versus-fakes/34384168
Lear MoreCustoms seize over J$250m in counterfeit goods
The Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) confiscated over J$250 million worth of counterfeit goods at the island’s ports of entry between January 2014 and April 2015. Commissioner of Customs and JCA Chief Executive Officer, Major (Ret’d) Richard Reese, said that the items include: over 20,000 pairs of footwear valued at approximately $80 million; 1, 920 bottles of perfume, fragrances, and toilet water, valued $3.84 million; 200 handbags, valued at $2.1 million; 80 pieces of clothing costing $49 million; and approximately four million sticks of cigarette, valued at $120 million. Other items include over 3,000 handbags; 18,000 pieces of assorted clothing; 1,000 belts; 5, 200 hats; and over 11,000 disposable razors, as well as pharmaceuticals. Some of the products were intended for the local market, while others were destined for other countries.
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Customs-seize-over-J-250m-in-counterfeit-goods
Lear MoreMalaysians nabbed for Smuggling
At least three Malaysians were picked up for trying to smuggle drugs, tobacco and cigarettes via the Causeway into Singapore. Aged 20, 29 and 40, they were detained separately at the Woodlands checkpoint in the past few days. The latest case happened on Wednesday when Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers detained the 20-year-old who had 0.9kg of cannabis on him. The ICA in a statement said the officers suspected something amiss when they noticed a bulge around the man’s waist. It turned out to be cannabis wrapped in newspaper and plastic. The drugs, which have a street value of S$29,000 (RM81,000), can feed the addiction of about 128 users for a week.
http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/07/24/Three-Malaysians-nabbed-for-smuggling-in-Singapore/
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Consett shop owner jailed after housing illicit tobacco and booze worth nearly £1m
A shop owner who evaded a duty bill worth nearly £1m when he was caught with illicit cigarettes and booze is today behind bars. Jaafar Mousa Mohammad Jaafar used an industrial estate to house the massive haul of tobacco and alcohol. The stash included 3,254 litres of spirits, 6,409 litres of wine, 8,784 litres of beer, nearly three tonnes of tobacco and more than £1.5m cigarettes worth £943,623 in unpaid duty and VAT .The unit on Morgan Lonprell Yard, on Clockmill Road, in Dunston, Gateshead, was equipped for someone to live in with a kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. And HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said the set-up allowed the 64-year-old to act as a “round-the-clock caretaker” and distributor of the illicit goods. Jailing Jaafar for two years four months, Recorder Ian Harris said he was trusted and people relied on him in the “organised fraud”.
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/consett-shop-owner-jailed-after-9724377
Lear MoreCameroon: Cosmetics – Individual Effort to Fight Counterfeit Goods
Some consumers destroy the packaging by cutting after using product. Fake cosmetics products in genuine packaging inundate markets in the Economic capital, Douala. The fake products that are hardly detected, but for the giveaway prices that is one of the principal determinants have caused serious health hazards ranging from skin rashes, through changing skin colour to the chopping of hair both on the skin and the head. To watch out for fake products by dubious businessmen whose only goal is to get rich at the expense of the population, some consumers have resorted to destroying containers of body lotions, hair products and perfume bottles after using. They break or cut plastic containers into two and as well break breakable packaging after emptying the content.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201508051052.html
Lear MoreDrive against smuggled sub-standard food items
Despite the fact that the Government’s ban on sale of food items smuggled from Myanmar, this underworld business is still continuing in the State. Food Safety Officer Chandel on Saturday conducted a drive against smuggling of sub-standard food items from Myanmar which are often put up for sale at Bongjang village along Imphal-Moreh National Highway. During the drive, sub-standard food items including packaged dried fruits, pickles, snacks and dairy products smuggled from Myanmar were disgorged for disposal after checking all the vehicles coming from Moreh. Briefing the media persons, Elvison Maring, Food Safety Officer of Chandel said that the drive to check the smuggling of sub-standard food items were conducted in accordance with the order of the State Government issued on February 2, 2013 .
http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=11..260715.jul15
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‘Branded’ Facial Tissues Were Made From Used Toilet Paper
People in China have been warned to check their tissues carefully after a couple sold 300 tonnes worth of ‘branded’ paper products made from used toilet rolls. The husband and wife, known as Mr Li and Ms Jie, owned an illegal paper processing plant in Pei County, eastern China, reported People’s Daily Online. There, they used old napkins, papers and even toilet rolls to create tissues which they sold as branded products. Over the two years that they were in business, the manufacturer made 2 million Yuan (£200,000). The operation was extremely secretive and neighbours said that the front door to the 4,305 square foot farm house was always shut. In addition, the workers only came in during the night. One local resident commented: ‘The loading and unloading also only happens at night.’ Inside the processing factory, the full scope of the unlawful process was revealed.
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Fake oregano in UK
A new investigation into food fraud in the UK has claimed 25% of dry oregano on sale in the market contain ingredients other than herb. According to details published by consumer group Which?, of 78 samples tested one-quarter were found to contain oregano mixed with other dried leaves, such as olive and myrtle leaves. These unlabelled filler ingredients constituted between 30% and 70% of the product. The investigation was led by Professor Chris Elliott, director of the Institute for Global Food Security and the author of the UK government’s review into the horsemeat scandal. Prof. Elliott said his findings identified a “major problem” that “may well reflect issues with other herbs and spices that enter the British Isles through complex supply chains”. He continued: “Much better controls are needed to protect the consumer from purchasing heavily contaminated products.” Which? called on regulators and the industry to take action in order to stamp out food fraud. Executive director Richard Lloyd, stressed: “It’s impossible for any shopper to tell, without the help of scientists, what herbs they’re actually buying. Retailers, producers and enforcement officers must step up checks to stamp out food fraud.”
http://www.just-food.com/news/fake-oregano-on-sale-in-uk-tests_id130665.aspx
Lear MoreAnti-tobacco drive: Health dept wants cooperation from excise
The Punjab health department on Thursday asked the excise and taxation department to coordinate with it in the campaign against illegal hookah bars and the other establishments flouting anti-tobacco laws. In a communiqué to the financial commissioner (excise and taxation), health department principal secretary Vini Mahajan has sought instruction for the field staff to ensure that every tobacco-product pack carries the mandatory pictorial warning that smoking is injurious to health. “This way, the illicit manufacturing and trade of tobacco products can be checked to a large extent,” she stated.
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