OCU warns of the abuse of additives and the mixing of fats in supermarket “roscones”

Madrid.- The Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) warned this Monday that five of the twelve “roscones de reyes” (king cake) that can be bought in supermarkets, and that have been analyzed by its experts, mix cream with cheaper fats and has assured that these sweets contain up to 12 additives on average.

In a statement, the OCU recalls that almost 30 million “roscones” are consumed in Spain each year. According to their analysis, just over half of the selected “roscones” include a filling made exclusively with cream, which usually represents around 45% of the total weight. In the other five, the total or partial substitution of cream with more economical vegetable fats, such as palm, coconut, rapeseed or palm kernel, is observed.

He has warned of other problems such as the abuse of additives, among which colorings predominate (especially in candied fruit), as well as preservatives, emulsifiers and texturizing agents, frequent ingredients in products subjected to freezing and subsequent thawing. Furthermore, in organoleptic terms, supermarket “roscones” stray from the aromas and textures typical of artisanal production, according to OCU experts.