ZDFbesseresser: the tricks in meatballs, over-easy eggs & co. - Sebastian Lege uncovers the truth
Dodgy meatballs, tricky surprise eggs, coloured caviar and tasteless rosemary extract: Sebastian Lege uncovers what's really hidden in popular foods. Surprise eggs lure children with cheap toys, rosemary extract is a hidden additive, ready-made meatballs contain hardly any good ingredients and German caviar is bursting with additives. Sebastian Lege exposes the false product promises. ‘Something exciting, and something to play with - and chocolate!’ Everyone is probably familiar with this advertising promise. The surprise egg has been a favourite with children for around 50 years.
Yet more than half of the egg consists of sugar. Product developer Sebastian Lege shows how Ferrero puts cheap plastic into just 20 grams of thin chocolate. Ferrero is no longer alone with this lucrative combination of toys and sweets. The confectionery industry comes up with all sorts of ideas to make highly sugary products even more attractive to children. They lure in the young target group with well-known figures, bright colours and lots of cheap plastic.
The industry does not seem to be interested in the serious effects this successful marketing strategy has on the health of many people. Minced meat, soaked bread rolls, fresh onions and good spices: Meatballs are the classic par excellence. But frying them yourself is hardly worthwhile, as the supermarket shelves are full of ready-made versions - and at extremely low prices. The surprising thing: The ready-made meatballs are even cheaper than unprocessed minced meat. It is virtually impossible for consumers to make meatballs themselves so cheaply.
To make this work, the industry plays a lot of tricks: with special meat, cheap ingredients and efficient production. A laboratory test also shows that some products do not deliver what they promise on the packaging. Sebastian Lege uncovers what's really in the meatballs - and why it's worth making them yourself. He even gets help from his mum, Ute Lege, who reveals her secret meatball recipe. Caviar is a luxury food that only a few people can afford.
The fish eggs of the rare sturgeon can cost several thousand euros per kilogramme. But you can also find them in the supermarket. German caviar is available there for 2.60 euros a tin. How can that be? German caviar comes from lumpfish. A fish that lives in large populations in the North Atlantic. In order to give these inexpensive fish eggs a touch of luxury, the food industry reaches deep into its bag of tricks. And indeed, a tasting reveals that many consumers are unable to distinguish expensive sturgeon caviar from cheap German caviar.
Rosemary extract can now be found on many lists of ingredients. It sounds Mediterranean and full of flavour. This is hardly surprising when it comes to tortellini or pizza, but what do wasabi nuts and chocolate muesli have to do with rosemary? Sebastian Lege is conducting an experiment: can his test eaters taste the rosemary extract in products? And what is really behind the popular additive? Cheap ingredients, false product claims or perfidious children's marketing: Sebastian Lege uncovers the tricks of the food industry.
Broadcasting on 28th of April 2024 at 09.45pm, on 08th of May 2024 + on 23th of May 2024 on ZDF info
Music: POPVIRUS Library