Are internet celebrity mooncakes that claim to be “healthy” reliable?

Abalone, bullfrog, crayfish, fruit... What fillings do you eat for mooncakes? As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, some "Internet celebrity mooncakes" with the slogan of "health preservation" have become popular in WeChat Moments and major shopping websites. However, the reporter's investigation found that there are varying degrees of false propaganda and other problems behind these mooncakes. Relevant people suggested that supervision of seasonal products such as mooncakes on the Internet should be strengthened, and consumers should also be discerning when purchasing.

Are “Internet celebrity mooncakes” really just like “sweet words”?

With the Mid-Autumn Festival just a few days away, private chef mooncake manufacturers in the circle of friends have already started pre-sale mode. Zero additives and no preservatives are the most common signs of the merchants.

The reporter found that the gimmicks of some "abalone mooncakes" and "health mooncakes" are often greater than the substance. The reporter tried to buy an "abalone mooncake" online for 268 yuan. In the ingredients list, the reporter saw that the abalone content was greater than 3%, but upon questioning, the store explained that abalone has "the taste of abalone, not abalone meat." Some consumers commented on another store selling "abalone mooncakes" that "there is very little abalone, just like eating steamed buns." In addition, a "health moon cake" in the online store also sold well. The ingredients are clearly marked as containing four medicinal herbs: Rehmannia glutinosa, Angelica sinensis, white peony root, and Chuanxiong rhizome. The mooncake is claimed in the promotion to have the effects of "regulating menstruation and removing blood stasis, tonifying the body, and nourishing yin without greasiness."

In this regard, a national first-level health manager said that in terms of effects, health maintenance generally requires a certain course of treatment, but mooncakes are seasonal foods and are often eaten only once or twice in order to achieve some results. Efficacy is impossible.

"Internet celebrity mooncakes" may be "unreliable"

It is understood that in the new mooncake standards announced by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine and the National Standards Administration in 2015, the characteristic categories of mooncakes are , the processing technology has been refined, and there are even requirements for the naming of mooncakes. For example, the lotus seed content in the lotus seed filling of lotus seed mooncakes should be no less than 60%; the lotus seed content in the lotus seed filling must be 100% to be called pure lotus seed paste; chestnut seed paste The content of chestnuts in the fillings of moon cakes should not be less than 60%; the amount of fruits and their products in the fillings of fruit mooncakes should not be less than 25%.

For the "private kitchen mooncakes" sold in Wechat merchants, they focus on concepts such as "zero additives" and "purely handmade and sold". According to industry insiders, if these "private kitchen mooncakes" do not have the corresponding food production and distribution qualifications, they are "three-no products" and pose food safety risks. Once food safety issues arise and cause disputes, it will be difficult to safeguard rights such as returns and refunds.

For some mooncakes that claim to have health care effects, if the manufacturer has not applied for a registered health food product approval number, it is a false and illegal product. Consumers can check the approval number on the website of the State Food and Drug Administration , to identify authenticity.

Be cautious when purchasing “Internet celebrity mooncakes”

Reminder, consumers should be more vigilant about “Internet celebrity mooncakes” and should not just look at the packaging, but also pay attention to the label, production date, etc. When buying mooncakes, choose merchants with food production and operation qualifications and high credit ratings. When purchasing, you must confirm the shelf life of the mooncakes, especially for some freshly made and sold mooncakes, and confirm the delivery time to prevent expiration. In addition, relevant shopping vouchers should be retained for returns, exchanges and rights protection.