• Ask Mark
    • Search the Library
    • Mark’s Blog
    • eNewsletter / Subscribe
    • Books
    • Links
  • Cullen’s Foods
  • Trees For Life
  • Events
    • Gardening Communities
  • About Mark
    • Mark and Ben’s Bio
    • Book Mark as a Speaker
    • Mark in the Media
    • Contact Us
February 17, 2018

Know What You’re Getting

Published in the Toronto Star – February 17, 2018

The herbs in your herb rack may be fraudulent.

“Food Fraud” happens when the food in the package is not what it says on the label. The UK Food Standards Agency estimates that roughly 10% of the food on supermarket shelves is adulterated and estimated costs to the global food system range from $10-50 billion per year. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency laid 52 charges for food fraud last year in Ontario alone.

A CBS report in the US found that half of the dried spices they had sent for analysis were proven to be adulterated in some way: corn added to turmeric, pepper added to nutmeg, and “unknown plant material” added to oregano.

Here in Canada, researchers the University of Guelph are working on a DNA-based approach to improve regulatory processes and make it easier to combat food fraud and help our country maintain our reputation for food integrity. With obvious risks to public health, the environment, and consumer confidence there is a lot of motivation to get to the root of the issue.

Many commonly used herbs are very simple to grow, and even tastier than the best product available at the stores.  We recommend that you try growing some for yourself. Here are some of the best to start indoors now:

Oregano is easy to grow and easy to fake. Many different dried leaves can be crushed to look like oregano. Growing oregano is about as easy as putting the seed in well-drained soil and adding water. As a perennial crop, you can expect it to come back year after year, and it will spread. It is so aggressive that some gardeners prefer to grow it in a container, where it can be more easily controlled.   Container grown oregano demands at least a 30 cm pot (12-inches) diameter as the plants like space. Oregano can be frozen or dried for year-round use.

  • The best way to freeze oregano is to wash and chop it into pieces about the size of a dime. Spread out on a few paper towels and allow to dry then put it into ice cube trays and add enough water to cover the contents, then freeze.   The cubes can be transferred to a bag and kept for up to six months. Parsley can also be frozen this way.
  • To dry oregano, arrange the cuttings on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Put the sheet in the oven for 1 to 4 hours around 150 degrees F, with the oven door cracked open. Drying times vary, so watch closely. Store in an airtight container, and crush when you’re ready to use. Parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage, dill, and mint all lend themselves to this method of drying as well.

Garlic: if you don’t have it in the ground already, put it on your list to plant next fall. Plant your garlic cloves “pointy side up” in a well composted soil, and cover with mulch, such as straw. You can harvest the scapes (the pig-tale shaped flower buds) in July, and by mid-August you will have fully developed garlic bulbs for harvest. The bulbs store well on their own, but if you like garlic-powder, peel the garlic, cut them into thin slices and dry them in a pan in the oven at 150 degrees F, turning often. Once dried, grind in a mortar and pestle or blender and sift to separate the powder from the chunks. Both the powder and the chunks are flavourful and can be stored in airtight containers.

Paprika powder is made from bell or mild chili peppers that are dried and ground. You might have to search to find a Hungarian or Spanish pepper with an amount of heat that is agreeable to you but look for a thin-walled variety that can be easily ground.  Seed catalogues provide this kind of information.  Start the seeds indoors 8 weeks before planting time, so they are ready for transplant two weeks after last frost. Space the plants 12 inches apart in 3 foot rows, and choose an area with maximum sun and heat. They should be ready to harvest 85 days from transplant.

The easiest way to dry peppers is in a dehydrator, as they contain a lot of moisture. They can take up to a year to dry by hanging in a dry, well ventilated room. A coffee grinder or mortar and pestle will allow you to crush the dried peppers into paprika which will last for up to a year.

When you grow your own you can cook with a pinch of confidence, and a dash of your favourite flavours.

← Previous post
Fusion Gardens

Next post →
The Value of Green

Search

Recent Posts

  • Signs of Spring March 27, 2021
  • Around the Acres This Week February 2, 2021
  • Around the Acres This Week January 11, 2021
  • Around the Acres This Week December 9, 2020

Mark’s Blog by Month

Ask Mark

  • eNewsletter
  • Radio/Podcast
  • Magazine article
  • Newspaper column
  • TV

Recent Tweets

Mark Cullen Follow

Best selling Canadian gardening author as seen on TV, radio, online and print.

MarkCullen4
2 Mar

Was a pleasure visiting with our #tree loving friends @TonyDiGiovanni1 and @MarkCullen4 today @vinelandrsrch!

Reply on Twitter 1631375315615318018 Retweet on Twitter 1631375315615318018 1 Like on Twitter 1631375315615318018 10 Twitter 1631375315615318018
19 Feb

Increase biodiversity in your yard with these tips from Mark and Ben Cullen. @MarkCullen4

http://ow.ly/u2sE50MVwTA

Reply on Twitter 1627294471200116736 Retweet on Twitter 1627294471200116736 1 Like on Twitter 1627294471200116736 4 Twitter 1627294471200116736
10 Feb

Excited to meet with Mark Cullen and Tony DiGiovanni today to learn more about the Trees for Life Program and how Less Mess can help!

Reply on Twitter 1624161096243240976 Retweet on Twitter 1624161096243240976 4 Like on Twitter 1624161096243240976 6 Twitter 1624161096243240976
12 Jan

This was a great way to start the new year. Congratulations, Landscape Ontario, on this milestone! Thanks to all who made it happen. We’re looking forward to the next one.

#TreesForLife #Congress #LOCongress #ClimateAction #GoGreen #HOHTC

Reply on Twitter 1613670790612017153 Retweet on Twitter 1613670790612017153 5 Like on Twitter 1613670790612017153 5 Twitter 1613670790612017153

Comments are closed.

About Mark and Ben


Mark Cullen is an expert gardener, author & broadcaster and holds the Order of Canada. His son Ben is a fourth-generation urban gardener and graduate of Guelph and Dalhousie University.
More

Find Mark On

Sponsored Links

Highway of Heroes cullensfoods Share Agriculture Foundation Harrowsmith
© Mark Cullen. Go to top ↑