MrConsumer was always suspicious that store brand frozen, unbreaded fish fillets were somehow plumped up with water to add to the package weight because after pan frying they would shrink to a fraction of their original size.
Now, in a lawsuit just filed by consumers from three states, food giant, Conagra, is accused of doing just that to two big brands of breaded fish fillets — Van de Kamp’s and Mrs. Paul’s.
While the package says “100% whole fish filtets,” the ingredients statement tells a different story.
*MOUSE PRINT:
According to the lawsuit:
The truth is, Defendant pumps up those fish with an industrial filler called sodium tripolyphosphate (“STPP”) and extra water to artificially add weight, which may then ooze out as a white goo when the fish is cooked. STPP, a suspected neurotoxin, is typically used to manufacture things like rubber, paint, and antifreeze. STPP also is used by unscrupulous businesses in the seafood industry to engage in short weighting.
The disclosure in tiny print on the back of the products’ labels about the presence of STPP does not dispel or disclaim to reasonable consumers the bold, prominent statements on the front and back of the products suggesting that the products are composed of ‘100% whole fish
The consumers’ lawyers say the fish is soaked in a solution of STPP which encourages the absorption of water. On average, they say, this adds 13-percent of extra weight to the fish.
Here is a video demonstration of how much a fish fillet shrinks when pan fried by exuding the water it had been plumped up with.
In the lawsuit, the lawyers allege a variety of unfair and deceptive practices under various consumer laws and seek a stop to the practices charged. Conagra has not commented on the pending litigation. And a consumer lawyer told MrConsumer that using STPP may be legal.
What do you think of the practice of bulking up the weight of fish products with water and chemicals?
This is proof of major food companies stiffing the public in value for the dollar spent. I really wish we had stronger consumer protection laws in this country!
I was using Kroger brand frozen cod fillets for my “fish fry” at home. I had to use multiple sheets of paper towels to squeeze the liquid out before cooking. I recently switched to using cod from the Costco fish counter. It is firm and contains no extra water that I can see. It is more expensive, but, well worth it.
I stopped using the frozen breaded types years ago. To many bad experiences with excessive breading and too little fish.
Great report, Mouseprint. I wouldn’t have been aware of this practice without you and I doubt I’d see this report anywhere else, besides perhaps a CR subscription. I’ll look forward to comparing ingredient lists on major brands from now on. Thanks!
Well what percentage of the fillet is STPP and water then?
The first ingredient is the fish though.
Richard… what I read was that it can add 13% extra weight to the fish.
The same thing is done to Atlantic Sea Scallops. They are soaked in sodium tripolyphosphate and brine water to plump them up and add more weight to the scallop mussel. When cooking the Atlantic Sea Scallops, they shrink up considerably.
And the same goes for most frozen shrimp. Here’s the label from Walmart
raw extra large shrimp; peeled, deveined, and tail on.
Ingredients:
Shrimp, water, salt, sodium tripolyphosphate (to retain moisture)
A somewhat different tactic is used on frozen turkeys and chicken products, where the processors add as much as 19% saline solution to their products. From what I can tell, with chicken it’s mostly coating the pieces in ice, and injected into turkeys. The excuses are “to preserve freshness” and to “keep product tender and moist”.
So, we pay premium prices for water: 1/5 of the product!
I’m sure tired of getting ripped off by these dishonest corporations!
You’re only ripped off if you buy those products
I did some further reading about STPP. Interesting stuff: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_triphosphate?
The consumer doesn’t stand a chance. And what about chicken with the absorbent pad that’s always filed with water.
I know we had health inspections but they seem to have disappeared. I guess if the political crowd our eating the same crap were being sold there isn’t too much that’s going to change.
Does Gorton’s do the same thing?
Here is the list of ingredients on Gorton’s Fish Fillet packages:
INGREDIENTS: Alaska Pollock fillets, batter coating, vegetable oil.
Alaska Pollock fillets
Batter coating
Rice flour, water, wheat flour, beer (water, barley malt, corn, rice, hops, yeast), tapioca dextrin, modified corn starch, salt, whey, dextrose, baking powder (baking soda, sodium aluminum phosphate, cream of tartar), sunflower lecithin, xanthan gum, natural flavor.
Vegetable oil
Canola and/or soybean oil.
CONTAINS: POLLOCK, WHEAT, MILK.
Please refer to the label on your actual package for the most current nutrition, ingredient and allergen information.
Serving Size:
2 fillets (103g)
Servings Per Container
5
Amount Per Serving:
Calories 240
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g
Monounsaturated Fat 8g
Cholesterol 25mg 8%
Sodium 450mg 20%
Total Carbohydrate 18g 7%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 0g
Includes 0g Added Sugars 0%
Protein 10g 14%
Vitamin D 0mcg 0%
Calcium 10mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 200mg 4%
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
140mg of EPA and DHA Omega-3 fatty acids per serving
I am guessing this is done not simply to make it look like you are getting more product but to keep the fish from drying out.