RE LABELLED [Credit: SBS Punjabi Radio] Source: RE LABELLED [Credit: SBS Punjabi Radio]
Last year, SBS Radio's Punjabi program began receiving photos, emails and social-media posts from listeners about food they had bought at South Asian grocery stores around Australia. Listeners cited instances of food turning out to be mouldy or smelling foul. Now, an SBS investigation has uncovered a series of anomalies at ethnic grocery stores, from labels with altered "best before" dates to hidden ingredients that could harm people with allergies. "Best before" dates had been changed by months, even years, and the unlisted ingredients ranged from milk solids to nuts.
Last year, SBS Radio's Punjabi program began receiving photos, emails and social-media posts from listeners about food they had bought at South Asian grocery stores around Australia. Listeners cited instances of food turning out to be mouldy or smelling foul. Now, an SBS investigation has uncovered a series of anomalies at ethnic grocery stores, from labels with altered "best before" dates to hidden ingredients that could harm people with allergies. "Best before" dates had been changed by months, even years, and the unlisted ingredients ranged from milk solids to nuts.