Of the 19 different manufacturers of fish sticks, most failed the ecological test. During examinations, product inspectors discovered carcinogenic substances, mainly found in the breading.
Almost two-thirds of fish fingers are dangerous to your health
Typically, fish fingers consist of one-third breading and two-thirds fish—usually Alaska pollock, pollock, cod, or Pacific hake. Most producers pre-fried the fish, but this was not the case for just one company examined.
In general, fish fingers are also quick to prepare. Öko-Test speaks of an average time of half a minute in the fryer. However, testers became aware of harmful substances that arise during the frying process. “In our opinion, eleven of the 19 products tested contained excessive amounts of these fatty pollutants,” the report says.
In most cases, these are 3-MCPD fatty acid esters. Glycidyl esters of fatty acids were also found twice. In the gastrointestinal tract these are converted into 3-MCPD or glycidol. An animal experiment carried out by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) demonstrated that they are carcinogenic and mutagenic.
The goldfish impress with their hygiene and flavor
As far as hygiene is concerned, however, the tests showed an almost entirely positive picture. Only once did the laboratory detect a total number of bacteria above the guideline value of the German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology (DGHM).
In the taste test, the douradinhos also scored “very good”. The separation of the breading and the fibrous flavor, in some cases, did not change the top note. However, when it comes to sustainable fishing, fish sticks sold in health food stores have failed.