Test Result: This Popular Pizza Topping Contains Potentially Carcinogenic Substances

Pickled olives are versatile - they enhance salads, taste great as antipasti, or are suitable as pizza toppings. However, many products in stores are not naturally ripened but artificially blackened. An investigation by the Chamber of Labor Upper Austria of 12 products reveals: The jars contain partly alarmingly high levels of acrylamide, a potentially carcinogenic substance. There are also weaknesses in labeling: One in four products needs improvement.

Better natural than artificial: How olives get their dark color

Black olives are distinguished between naturally ripened and artificially blackened products. Naturally ripened olives get their dark color through the ripening process on the tree and are usually violet to brown. Artificially blackened olives come from green fruits and are darkened using iron salts. Although these are considered harmless to health, the associated oxidation process, combined with heat treatment for preservation, seems to promote the formation of acrylamide. A substance suspected of being carcinogenic and mutagenic.

Repeat offender olives in the AK test

While green and naturally ripened black olives contain only small amounts of acrylamide, blackened olives have repeatedly shown significantly increased levels in recent times. A good reason for the Chamber of Labor Upper Austria to take a closer look at these products. A total of 12 olive products were selected, where the black color was artificially created by the addition of iron salts. Prices ranged from 81 cents to 2.29 euros per 100 grams of drained weight.

Consumer protection demands acrylamide guidelines

Olives are currently not subject to any acrylamide guidelines. The measured levels of the blackened olives in the test range from moderate 125 to alarming 1380 micrograms per kilogram (µg/kg). Although there is no acute health risk from consuming the olives, it is still advisable to keep acrylamide intake as low as possible. The consumer protection of the Chamber of Labor Upper Austria therefore demands, as is already common for other product groups such as coffee, chips, or fries, to establish corresponding guidelines for olives and to oblige manufacturers to reduce acrylamide levels through targeted improvements in the process.

Lack of Labeling on the Jar

Those who want to avoid blackened olives have no choice but to look at the label. But how transparent is the blackening process for consumers? Ironically, a product with a high acrylamide content lacked any indication of blackening - both on the front and in the ingredients, it was only referred to as "black olives." The only clue is the additive ferrous lactate in the ingredients list.

In two products, the indication was present, but buyers have to look more closely in the ingredients list or on the back in the product description. Additionally, for one of these products, the designation "Whole black olives" on the front already conveys a misleading image.

At least three-quarters of the olives in the test had the indication of blackening clearly visible on the front of the packaging.

(Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.