Posted on 02/12/2006 7:54:45 PM PST by Coleus
Federal agents who raided a Clifton warehouse Thursday weren't looking for the typical heroin mill or pile of laundered money.
They were after a more slippery stash.
The agents seized about 22,700 gallons of oil after the Food and Drug Administration found that the Hermes and San Giovanni brands had been substituting soybean oil for some of their extra virgin and pomace olive oil.
Olive oil is approximately five or six times more expensive than soybean oil, according to the FDA, which estimated the profit of the swap at $105,600.
"We will not permit New Jersey consumers to be defrauded," said U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie. "We should all have confidence that the products we purchase are what they purport to be."
The labels on the 3-liter tins of oil in 4,855 cases represented that each contained extra virgin olive oil or pomace olive oil, when in fact the tins contained quantities of soybean oil or a similar substance, federal authorities said.
In addition, the Hermes label states that its oil was imported from Greece, while a federal seizure warrant states it was packed in Italy, they said. The oil will remain at the warehouse, belonging to Quivican Trucking Corp. on River Road in Clifton, while the U.S. Attorney's Office seeks a court order to have it destroyed.
"We're working with the company to rectify the situation," said FDA spokeswoman Cathy McDermott. "The FDA and Department of Justice will be working with the company to bring it to closure." Prior to the seizure by U.S. marshals, the oil had been held at the warehouse under a state-ordered embargo that was requested by the FDA, McDermott said.
According to several online stores, a three-liter tin of Hermes extra virgin olive oil sells for about $17. Hermes is owned and distributed by Krinos Foods, which is headquartered in Long Island City, N.Y. San Giovanni olive oil is distributed by DMK Marketing, LLC, based in East Moriches, N.Y.
It's not the first time Krinos Foods has been accused of adulterating its olive oil. In 1997, a similar seizure warrant was filed in New York for more than 1,700 cases of Hermes olive oil that had been mislabeled. The president of Krinos did not return calls for comment Thursday. McDermott said the FDA learned about Krinos' latest apparent attempt to substitute another oil in its Hermes brand from a media report that exposed the alleged fraud.
WAPF dietary red alert -- estrogenic femininizing soybean $%!# illegally added to perfectly good olive oil!!!!
Popeye would be saddened to discover that a substitution was made for his beloved OliveOil. Or perhaps he would enjoy the change! They say variety is the "spice of life".
The best olive oil is made in California. The oils that you ingest should be of the same quality as fine wines.
Pseudo olive oil is usually found at 99 cent stores. Even there, I can find the pure (though not extra virgin) stuff from Lebanon, Turkey, or Syria.
How can they get away with this in Passaic County, where people KNOW real olive oil!
Then again, a Greek/Italian hybrid olive oil can be quite delicious with a Italian/Puerto Rican hybrid woman. ;-)
Forgive me, but I have had too much from the wine cube this evening.
I will admit to the love of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and would be really upset to discover I bought a bottle that had been cut with Soy Bean Oil.
How long is olive oil good? I've had some for an unknown time that I used tonight. It says to store in a cool dark place. I've had it in my cupboard but we had a hot summer. Well, if I die tonight, you guys will know what it was from.
I hope you keep a fire extinguisher ready. The only thing olive oil should be used for is salads. Some Italians put it on pizza but it is not a good idea to heat it up.
It's fine. Italians have fried with it forever. We don't use anything else.
About six months. It should be kept in a dark container in a cool dark place. Near the stove is not a good place ;-)
Hermes is the Greek god of commerce.
Is that some sort of a Bud bash?
Here it goes:
For Those Interested in the Research of Dr. Weston A. Price |
Hear! Hear! I recently became converted to Bariani - an unfiltered artisian olive oil from CA. Compared to it, every olive oil on the grocery store shelf looks like its been diluted with soybean oil, or hazlenut oil, or something.
LOL...
Actually I'm from NY. Born and raised. :D
If I were writing formally I'd have written the latter. I tend to "let my hair down" on these boards.
I don't deep fry anything. I use it only for pan frying and always keep a lid handy because ot the spatter. Now that I recall, that is what they used for lamps in the Bible, wasn't it? Good point.
I use grapeseed oil. It's as good for you as olive oil is. I buy it online.
Like olive oil, it has a low burn point (i think that's what it's called) and is excellent for frying, although frying is not excellent for you.
Come on, some guys love soybean oil, for that extra estrogen kick a man needs.
Easy test to determine whether you have real olive oil or a substitute.
Put it in the refrigerator.
Real olive oil will congeal. Not to Crisco but thicken.
Soy, peanut, etc won't.
(saw that on TV recently)
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