Real cheese or imitation: what are we putting on our table?

During the first nine months of the year, dairy processing plants in Bulgaria produced around 9,500 tons of imitation dairy products, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. The largest quantities were realized in July and August – at the peak of the tourist season. "The reason is simple – to be cheaper and have a higher profit. There are dairies that do not use milk at all," commented Dr. Sergey Ivanov, a microbiologist from the association "Active Consumers," for Bulgaria On Air. Imitating products are those that contain hydrogenated industrial fats, giving them a firmer structure. In taste and appearance, they are almost indistinguishable from real dairy products. Ivanov recalled that a decade ago, these products were offered in separate displays, but since sales were weak, producers began to sell them mainly through wholesale – to hotels, schools, and kindergartens. "For more than two years in the European Union (EU), the production of food with ...