We have all bought quart bottles of lemon juice, and probably assumed we were getting 100% lemon juice, just as the label specifies. Well, a little birdie tipped off the National Consumers League that they may be in for a surprise if they tested some of the bargain brands.
And that’s what they did for these four bottles found at discount and dollar stores:
It turns out that all four products were watered-down substantially.
*MOUSE PRINT:
“NaturaLemon 100% Lemon Juice from concentrate – Natural Strength†contains only about 35 percent lemon juice.
“Lira 100% Lemon Juice from concentrate†contains only about 25 percent lemon juice.
“Lemon Time Lemon Juice from concentrate†contains about only 15 percent lemon juice. The product states on its front label, “Contains 100% Lemon Juice with added ingredients.â€
“Pampa Lemon Juice from concentrate†contains only about 10 percent lemon juice. The product states “Made with 100% Juice.†The label also includes the statement “Natural Strength.â€
Right now, the average consumer has no way of knowing whether they are buying a diluted product or the real thing. We can only hope that by bringing this issue to the attention of the FDA, the government will move to remove these and other adulterated products from the market.
To view a video report about diluted lemon juice, click here.
A little OT, but this reminds me of an ongoing lawsuit over yarn. One company (Cascade) sued a rival (Debbie Bliss) over their fiber content because the company claimed the blend contained 12% cashmere content and some tests found no cashmere at all. According to one person’s account, a rep has claimed that 12% could mean anywhere from 1 – 20%. Given the normally high cost of such a product people would believe they’re getting a bargain where none exists.
I wonder if some of the other brands of lemon juice will try this tactic on their rivals.
Buy lemons . . . Real juice tastes better.
I have tried bargain brands in the past and quickly learned my lesson.
The revelation came to me when I bought a “bargain” Oxy Clean type product. When I clean with real Oxy Clean I can see the white marks on my skin from the basic pH chemicals reacting with my skin. When using the bargain product I didn’t notice the reaction on my clothing or my hands. Even though it only cost me $2, I took it back to the store because I was insulted.
I don’t buy bargain lemon juice, but I can sure tell if it is diluted. I dilute the lemon juice I buy because the real stuff is so strong that I can dilute it in a large container and get a lot of lemonade. If the ingredients of lemon juice list too many preservatives and flavor enhancers then its probably diluted (more salts than lemon juice).
Why not test fruit juice as well. A lot of bottles say they have 100% juice, but are they lying as well.