The other day, I read the book "The Dark Truth about Canned Tomatoes" by French journalist Jean-Baptiste Malle, which was translated and published in 2018.
This shocking non-fiction book reveals that the canned tomatoes, ketchup, and tomato paste that we pick up at the supermarket every day are actually linked to global corruption, exploitation, and negative health effects. Today, I would like to share with you the reality hidden behind the food industry that I learned from reading the book. Let's get started!
The Truth About Canned Italian Tomatoes
The first shocking thing about "The Dark Truth About Canned Tomatoes" is the fact that many canned tomatoes that are supposedly from Italy are actually from China. In many cases, canned tomatoes labeled "from Italy" actually contain tomato paste produced in China.
"Triple concentrated" tomato paste imported from China is diluted and reprocessed in Italy and sold as double concentrated tomato paste, packaged as if it were made in Italy. This deceptive labelling practice misleads consumers into thinking they are buying genuine Italian tomatoes, when in fact they are buying cheap, poorly produced Chinese tomatoes.
Additives in tomato paste
This book also details the fraud taking place in Chinese tomato processing factories. The author sneaks into a Chinese tomato factory and witnesses the tomato paste manufacturing process. What he discovers is that large amounts of additives such as starch and coloring are mixed into tomato paste.
Commercially available canned tomatoes and pastes are mostly made up of ingredients other than tomatoes, meaning that consumers are ingesting additives rather than whole tomatoes. This fact suggests a health risk from the tomato products we eat.
Low-quality canned tomatoes exported to Africa
What was even more surprising about this book was the fact that low-quality canned tomatoes produced in China are being exported in large quantities to poor countries in Africa . Tomato paste was originally an export product to Italy, but the author thought that it would be more profitable to export it directly to Africa without going through Italy, so the book said that canned tomatoes made with inferior, rotten tomatoes are being exported to Africa. Moreover, the canned tomatoes only contain 31% tomato, with most of the rest being additives and colorings. The distribution of such low-quality tomato products in local markets not only poses health problems, but also has a major impact on local agriculture.
Being a poor country, tomato paste is sold by the spoonful. The method of adding coloring to rotten tomatoes to commercialize them is very likely to be a health hazard to consumers. The reason why African markets are called "garbage bins" is because canned tomatoes of substandard quality are being sent to them from Europe and China.
This is not just a food issue, but is also closely related to global issues of inequality and exploitation . The influx of cheap canned tomatoes from China has hit local agriculture in Africa, making it difficult for local farmers to make a living, further increasing poverty and leading people to emigrate to Italy.
Exploitation of Migrant Workers and Forced Labor
"The Dark Truth About Canned Tomatoes" also reveals the current situation in which the tomato industry relies on the exploitation of immigrant workers . In particular, in Italian tomato farms, African immigrants are forced to work under harsh working conditions for low wages. Furthermore, the fact that this labor force is controlled by the mafia highlights the dark side of the industry.
This reality of worker exploitation is symbolic of the humanitarian issues lurking behind the food industry, and is an important social issue that we as consumers must not turn a blind eye to but think about.
Involvement of large corporations and global capitalism
Large food companies in the US and Europe are also deeply involved in this problem, with companies like Heinz using cheap Chinese tomatoes to cut costs and make huge profits. These companies are exploiting consumer trust to make profits, and the price they pay is low-quality tomato products on the market.
Certainly, if they are making canned tomatoes using fresh tomatoes, it seems strange that one can cost around 100 yen and they can cover the costs of raw materials, processing, and transportation.
This situation is not limited to canned tomatoes, but is also common in other processed foods, and since there is no end to people who want to buy such cheap products, companies continue to turn a blind eye to it.
This highlights the dark side of capitalism and makes clear the structural problems facing the global food industry.
The Importance of Trusted Food Choices
The question posed by "The Dark Truth about Canned Tomatoes" is how we, as consumers, should choose our food . It has become essential to protect our health to know what process exists behind the products we pick up at the supermarket and to choose food from trusted manufacturers.
In Japan, it is relatively easy to obtain JAS-certified organic foods and domestic foods with traceable producers . One step we can take as consumers is to buy from trustworthy producers and manufacturers as much as possible and avoid contributing to the schemes of global food manufacturers where fraud is rampant.
Summary: For a sustainable future
The message of The Dark Truth About Canned Tomatoes is clear: the importance of scrutinizing food quality and safety , and understanding how what we choose to eat can impact global issues .
Choosing cheap products without thinking about it not only increases health risks, but may also contribute to global injustice. Don't forget that our choices can change the future, so why not try to choose sustainable foods?
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