Sausages, merguez…: the 60 Million Consumers survey reveals many surprises!

The association 60 Million Consumers has meticulously analyzed around thirty brands of merguez, chipolatas and vegetable sausages, thus revealing the precise ingredients of these summer essentials. Additives, sugar, too high a fat content… Their composition holds many unpleasant surprises.

In the grill section, it’s not always easy to make choices…

After analyzing the ingredients of around thirty merguez references, chipolatas and vegetable sausagesthe latest survey by 60 million Consumers should allow you to separate the good products from the less good ones.

While the price of meat can vary greatly from one brand to another, This is also the case for their composition.

The amazing composition of chipolatas and merguez

After having analyzed the list of their ingredients, then weighed, measured and analyzed the products in the laboratory, the association made a sad observation: Of the 23 meat recipes in their study, all contained sugar, except for three brands of chipolatas.

Used under the terms sucrose, glucose syrup or even dextrose, sugar allows extend the shelf life of the product, color sausages during cooking or mask bitterness.

Besides sugar, barbecue stars contain also their share of additives. 60 Million Consumers has notably identified the carmine coloring E120linked to allergenic extraction residues, in several chipolatas and merguez references. Other products without additives are not necessarily better for all that.

As the association reports, “Manufacturers can use various “technological” ingredients to suppress E codes, such as cider vinegar extract as a preservative, concentrated acerola juice or vinegar powder as antioxidants.”. Enough to mislead the consumer.

If 60 Million Consumers recommendsstudy the product label very carefullythis is because many products contain much more fat than meat. The Carrefour Simpl and Socopa merguez are mainly singled out, while the references Monoprix Bio and Bigard are the most meaty.

When it comes to chipolatas, only one brand stands out (Bigard Label Rouge) with 97% meat, compared to an average of 82% for the others. Also be careful of overly tempting prices: manufacturers may add pork fat to reduce costs.

What about plant products?

Although plant-based sausages offer an excellent alternative to meat, their composition still needs to be reviewed. According to 60 Million Consumers, all the references studied contain additives. These are mainly texturizers, antioxidants and colorings.

Certain gums and methylcellulose (E461) are likely to disrupt the microbiota and play a role in chronic intestinal inflammation. Generally speaking, they remain less fatty than chipolatas.allowing them to achieve a more favorable Nutri-Score, between A and C.