Hazelnut spreads in Italy contain few hazelnuts, a lot of sugar and fat, and represent а 'calorie bomb' for consumers, according to a recent study.
This is the main conclusion of a test conducted by the South Tyrolean Consumer Protection Centre, which analysed 27 hazelnut spreads in Italian supermarkets. The test was based on a similar study conducted in Germany by consumer magazine Oko-test.
The Italian study included best-selling spreads such as Nutella, Novi, Pernigotti, Rigoni, Despar and Coop private-label versions, as well as 15 organic spreads that are among the best sellers in South Tyrol.
All products were analysed on the basis of three characteristics: the quantity of hazelnuts, the percentage of sugar (per 100 grams), the fat content, and the price.
The report showed that most hazelnut spreads consisted of six to nine ingredients. These included oils and fats from various plants, emulsifiers such as sunflower or soy lecithin, and natural or artificial flavourings.
High Sugar Content
The study revealed that the hazelnut spreads tested contained up to 58% sugar and a fat content that ranged from 30% to 45%. The percentage of hazelnuts present in some spreads was just 10%.
Sugar was present in abundance in all of the tested spreads, amounting to between 31.1 and 62 grams (per 100 grams of product). In 15 of the products analysed, sugar accounted for up to 50% of the product. At the top of the sugar ranking was Ecor, made up of almost two-thirds of the sweetener. Surpassing the 50% threshold was Nutella (56.3 grams), Pernigotti Gianduia (55 grams), Coop Solidal (57 grams), and a spreadable Altromercato cream that contains cashew nuts (56 grams).
Hazelnut Quantity
Some of the brands featuring the highest hazelnut content were Oberholler (46%), Novi (45%), Pernigotti Gianduia Nero (30%), and Pernigotti Gianduia (29%). At the bottom of the ranking were Nutella, with only 13% hazelnut content, and two organic spreads from Italy - Coop Solidal (10%) and Ecor le creme nocciola e cacao (13%).
Quality comes at a price. In general, the spreads cost about €11/kg, while those with the highest amount of hazelnut content were also the most expensive. This is the case of Oberholler (€34.50/kg) and local brand Gepa (€46/kg), which is fat- and scent-free. Nutella (€8.75/kg) and Dolciando (€3.73/kg) were among the cheapest spreads. Organic products cost on average a little more (about €14/kilogram), compared to non-organic products.
The advice given by the South Tyrolean Consumer Protection Center was to only consume hazelnut spreads on special occasions, but not at breakfast time or for a daily snack.
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine
