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Strawberry jam in the eco-test Lots of sugar in jams and fruit spreads
Around two kilograms of jam a German eats a year. Especially popular are products with strawberries. However, most strawberry jams and fruit spreads contain a lot of sugar and sometimes do not taste very intense after the fruit. This has been determined by the consumer magazine "Öko-Test" in a recent study.
Jam on the breakfast table
For many Germans it is part of a successful weekend that they can have breakfast extensively. To bread and rolls is then among other things jam on the table. The Germans eat about two kilograms of it on average per year. Strawberry is by far the most popular variety. Actually, the spread of strawberries should not be called jam, because according to the law only products made from citrus fruits may be called that. But in everyday life that hardly matters. The consumer magazine "Öko-Test" has now taken a closer look at 19 such products. The result: most are far too sweet.
A German eats around two kilos of jam a year on average. The most popular variety is strawberry. In a recent analysis of "eco-test" showed that most products are much too sweet. (Image: pilipphoto / fotolia.com) Far too much sugar
"Mostly breakfast. Whether fruit spread or jam extra - many products you can taste for breakfast. "This is the test result of a total of 19 examined products.
The testers write in their report but also: "The first candy of the day."
According to the "eco-test", all the jams and some fruit spreads examined are clearly too sweet, according to the latest recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO), according to which a maximum of 25 grams of added sugar per day must be consumed.
That's about the equivalent of six small teaspoons. A 30-gram serving of spreads already covers more than half, according to the testers.
When checking the sugar content, one should not rely only on the corresponding information in the nutritional value table.
Because some jams contain corn syrup. This contains "production-related less sugar, but smaller starch components - so-called polysaccharides - that do not count as sugar, but in terms of calorie beating as well," write the experts.
Some products taste less intense after the fruits
In addition to the sugar content, the pollutant content of the spreads was also tested. Pesticide residues were found in many conventional brands. The organic spreads were entirely unloaded.
Furthermore, the sensor test showed that some products taste less strawberry-like than others, but have a "strong sweetness".
For some, a "clear cooking" was found, which is partly product typical and wanted, as it is perceived by the consumer as a light caramel note.
In part, the taste test also convinced fruit-poor products "with intense, strong fruit notes".
Strawberries do not usually come from Germany
According to the consumer magazine, the brands tested were also examined with regard to the origin of the strawberries used.
"The Schwartauer plants and organic producer Zwergenwiese advertise with strawberries from Germany, which they also proved to us. The rest of the producers, according to their own sources, often come from Poland, southern Europe or Turkey, "says the report.
"Öko-Test" also dealt with the labor law conditions of manufacturing companies. According to the magazine, only a few producers could provide information on the wages paid to harvesters.
The whole industry shows "an extremely low wage level, which can explain the low store prices to a good extent". In Egypt, for example, the wage level is only 0.86 euros per hour, there is no legal minimum wage there.
By the way: jams and co you can easily make yourself. This ensures that there is not too much sugar but sufficient fruit, that it does not contain any pesticide residues and that no people have been exploited during production. (Ad)