‘I’m so sick and tired’: Coles shopper laments over ‘unexpected ingredient’
- Replies 15
In the bustling aisles of our local supermarkets, we trust that what we toss into our trolleys is what it says on the label.
However, one Coles customer's trust in the brand was tested during a routine family dinner preparation.
Jo Meredith, a mum of six from Tamworth, fumed in disappointment after her experience with a pack of Coles Drovers Choice Beef Mince, which she claimed had excessive liquid.
Jo noticed an unusual amount of liquid bubbling away in the pan as she prepared spaghetti bolognese for her family.
'I looked at it, and it was just all this meat bubbling away. I thought, "Wow, okay." I took a photo of the spatula in the water and a photo of the spatula out of the water, and you can see how deep it was,' she shared.
'I thought, "No, I'll pop it in a measuring jug."'
Concerned, she found a whopping 300 millilitres of liquid from the mince.
'You make an allowance for some water percentage in there because it's a natural product of animals. Still, 300ml is a lot.'
Jo's husband, a former retail butcher, suggested that this could be a tactic used by some butchers to increase the meat's weight, also inflating profit margins.
This isn't Jo's first time encountering the supermarket's watery produce. However, despite multiple complaints, 'they were not really interested' in hearing her claims.
'The water just cooks out, and most people are none the wiser, or they don't worry about it, but I am so over it,' she lamented.
'I've got six kids, and economic times at the moment are quite hard, and I put a kilo and a half of meat in there, and 300ml of it was water. I am so sick and tired of buying products that rip people off.'
Coles, however, stands by its product.
A spokesperson for the supermarket giant responded to the allegations.
'Any water present during the cooking process is naturally occurring,' they state.
'While everyone has their own cooking style, it's important for anyone cooking mince to understand that large amounts of meat can cause a frypan to lose temperature, which can result in the mince stewing rather than frying, leading to the moisture from the meat to pool instead evaporating quickly.'
Meat Science Associate Professor at the University of New England Peter McGilchrist backed Coles' claim.
'It's not allowed, and they just wouldn't get away with it,' he said.
'In this mince that she has purchased, it is 17 per cent fat, so 300ml out of two kilos [the full packet] is only about 15 per cent that has come out that she has captured. Of the other 83 per cent of what she has purchased, is about 80 per cent moisture.'
Coles also recommended cooking minced meat in smaller batches 'to ensure a high temperature is maintained during cooking of mince', avoiding excess moisture in the process.
As consumers, we should be aware of the characteristics of the produce we buy and the best cooking practices.
However, it's also crucial for supermarkets to ensure transparency and maintain consumer trust by providing products that meet customers' expectations.
Have you ever experienced something similar with your meat purchases? How do you ensure you're getting the best value for your money while grocery shopping? Share your tips and experiences in the comments below.
However, one Coles customer's trust in the brand was tested during a routine family dinner preparation.
Jo Meredith, a mum of six from Tamworth, fumed in disappointment after her experience with a pack of Coles Drovers Choice Beef Mince, which she claimed had excessive liquid.
Jo noticed an unusual amount of liquid bubbling away in the pan as she prepared spaghetti bolognese for her family.
'I looked at it, and it was just all this meat bubbling away. I thought, "Wow, okay." I took a photo of the spatula in the water and a photo of the spatula out of the water, and you can see how deep it was,' she shared.
'I thought, "No, I'll pop it in a measuring jug."'
Tamworth mum Jo Meredith expressed concern about Coles' produce as she planned to cook for her big family. Image Credit: Jo Meredith
Concerned, she found a whopping 300 millilitres of liquid from the mince.
'You make an allowance for some water percentage in there because it's a natural product of animals. Still, 300ml is a lot.'
Jo's husband, a former retail butcher, suggested that this could be a tactic used by some butchers to increase the meat's weight, also inflating profit margins.
This isn't Jo's first time encountering the supermarket's watery produce. However, despite multiple complaints, 'they were not really interested' in hearing her claims.
'The water just cooks out, and most people are none the wiser, or they don't worry about it, but I am so over it,' she lamented.
'I've got six kids, and economic times at the moment are quite hard, and I put a kilo and a half of meat in there, and 300ml of it was water. I am so sick and tired of buying products that rip people off.'
Coles, however, stands by its product.
A spokesperson for the supermarket giant responded to the allegations.
'Any water present during the cooking process is naturally occurring,' they state.
'While everyone has their own cooking style, it's important for anyone cooking mince to understand that large amounts of meat can cause a frypan to lose temperature, which can result in the mince stewing rather than frying, leading to the moisture from the meat to pool instead evaporating quickly.'
Meat Science Associate Professor at the University of New England Peter McGilchrist backed Coles' claim.
'It's not allowed, and they just wouldn't get away with it,' he said.
'In this mince that she has purchased, it is 17 per cent fat, so 300ml out of two kilos [the full packet] is only about 15 per cent that has come out that she has captured. Of the other 83 per cent of what she has purchased, is about 80 per cent moisture.'
Coles also recommended cooking minced meat in smaller batches 'to ensure a high temperature is maintained during cooking of mince', avoiding excess moisture in the process.
As consumers, we should be aware of the characteristics of the produce we buy and the best cooking practices.
However, it's also crucial for supermarkets to ensure transparency and maintain consumer trust by providing products that meet customers' expectations.
.png){kind=icon}
