It is curious how marketing has managed to slip certain concepts past us in fine print, concepts that later prove far from being unquestionable truths. Although Spanish law establishes several categories that regulate certain denominations in foods, there are terms that live in a kind of limbo that allows them to be used with considerable freedom.
While it is true that expressions such as “extra,” “source of,” or “organic” are indeed subject to legal categories, others are currently —for now— outside that regulation. For example, “homemade,” “traditional,” or “grandmother’s.” Terms that we often see as a quality guarantee or that, at least, we tend to interpret that way.
But it does not have to be like that. That is precisely what Dr. Cristina Sánchez explained when talking about the supermarket’s classic fried tomatoes. Known for her public outreach on social media, where she signs as @cristinasanchez.md, she warned of some surprises lurking in the shelves.
Canned fried tomatoes, under scrutiny
Surprise is not a trivial word. At first glance, when we talk about fried tomato sauce, the ingredients that should appear on its label could be counted on one hand. Tomato —obviously—, an oil, salt, perhaps sugar as an acidity regulator, and some preservative. There might also be some spice, but the essentials would be those first five ingredients.
The matter, as is logical if we care about the nutritional profile, is that it is not only the ingredient that matters, but also its concentration. In other words, how much of each one is in the jar in question. The front label can tell us one thing, telling us how homemade the product supposedly is, but the ingredient list and its composition tell a different story.
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James Whitaker
I’m James Whitaker, a UK-based journalist focused on emerging trends and everyday stories gaining attention across the country. I cover the topics people start talking about before they fully break into the mainstream. My work aims to stay clear, factual, and closely connected to how news is actually consumed today.