There are countless additives in the fire on the market now. Without additives, chefs can't make vegetable chemical additives. Pure fruit juice

Fragrant, Chili essence and hot pot red are more fierce than "a drop of incense", and cheap hot pot has become a "chemical pot"

Yesterday, the reporter made an unannounced visit to Nanjing market and found that a large number of chemical additives were added to the bottom material of hot pot, but the regulatory authorities bluntly said that it was not easy to control the winter

Chen Yu Zhang Jun

. But you know what? Nowadays, most hot pots are "chemical pots"! "Not only many shabu-shabu products use additives, but also hot pot bottom materials contain a variety of chemical additives." Industry insiders told reporters.

isn't the red hot pot with red soup attractive? The spicy taste and red color are all made by an additive called "Chili essence"; As soon as I entered the hot pot restaurant, it smelled delicious, and all the fragrances were added to it! Yesterday, the reporter investigated the situation of "chemical hot pot" in Nanjing market-

unannounced visit location: wholesale market

Because winter is the hot pot season, hot pot seasoning has become the protagonist in the dry goods wholesale market in Nanjing. Yesterday, the reporter made an unannounced visit to several dry goods markets in Nanjing as a buyer of hot pot restaurants, and found that hot pot flavoring agent, chili essence and hot pot red were almost "overflowing"-

The flavoring agent was stronger than "a drop of fragrance"

In a dry goods wholesale market in Xiaguan, Nanjing, the reporter asked at a booth at the entrance if there was anything to add color and flavor to hot pot. The boss immediately took out a red bottle labeled "hot pot fragrance agent" from behind the counter for the reporter. The boss mysteriously told reporters that this is a necessary "secret" to open a hot pot restaurant, because as long as this fragrance agent is put into the hot pot, it will smell everywhere and make people very appetizing.

"This isn't a drop of incense, is it?" The reporter raised questions. The boss shook his head and said, of course not, it's a new product, which is much better than a drop of incense. He specifically pointed to the "QS" logo on the product label to remind reporters: "Know this logo, but it has been approved by the Technical Supervision Bureau (Quality Supervision Bureau)."

Seeing the reporter nodding, the boss took out two other bottles from behind, one of which was labeled "Chili essence" and the other was labeled "Hot pot red". The boss said that the two products are used together. The former ensures that you can make the diners hot enough on the premise of putting less pepper, while the latter can make the spicy pot "red" with almost no spicy oil.

after introducing these three products, the boss patted the reporter on the shoulder and confidently said that as long as the reporter's hot pot restaurant was used, he would know how good these things were. He also took out a stack of receipts from under the counter and proudly said that many hot pot restaurants in Nanjing were his old customers because of the good effect of what his family sold.

The reporter proposed to buy a few bottles to take home to see the effect. The boss quoted 511g of chili essence 25 yuan, 511g of hot pot red 35 yuan and 511g of fragrance agent 45 yuan. After watching the reporter pay, the boss enthusiastically handed the reporter two other packages from behind, which were written with the words "King of Meat Fragrance" and "High Perfume Essence" respectively. The boss explained that these are all tasteful things, which can make people forget after eating them.

In the interview, the reporter found that in many dry goods wholesale markets in Nanjing, additives similar to adding color and flavor to hot pot are sold almost everywhere, and the owners of these stalls swear by pointing to the "QS" sign that there is no problem.

however, when the reporter checked the QS certification numbers marked on the three bought products, it was found that although the names of some manufacturers could be found, the QS numbers marked on them could not be found. In this regard, the relevant person in the quality supervision department said that it is very likely that these additives are "selling dog meat by hanging sheep's heads" and selling them under the name of a regular manufacturer, and their quality is worrying. Chen Yu

unannounced visit location: farmer's market

The legendary hot pot flavor enhancers "fragrance agent" and "chili essence" whose fragrance enhancing ability far exceeds that of "one drop of fragrance" can be bought in the vegetable market in Nanjing? Yesterday evening, the reporter visited several large food markets in Nanjing city.

At about 6 pm yesterday, the reporter came to a large food market near Huaqiao Road in Nanjing. There are six or seven hot pot condiments in this market, and their business is very good. Hot pot bottom materials with various flavors and packages are placed in a conspicuous position.

There are many slogans about hot pot seasoning in the stalls of "National Demonstration Enterprise of Hot Pot Bottom Material Production in Seasoning Industry", "Special Hot Pot Products for China Mountaineering Team" and "From Inner Mongolia Little Sheep Production Base". The price is also reasonable, generally ranging from 3 yuan to 15 yuan. "You buy this seasoning when you eat hot pot at home." A stall owner recommended a bag of red-packed hot pot ingredients to reporters.

Then, the reporter went to a food market near Taiping South Road, where there are more shops selling hot pot condiments. The reporter circled around and asked, "Is there a more' powerful' seasoning?" During the conversation, a boss who claimed to be surnamed Huang "accepted": "Awesome? Do you want poppy shells? " The reporter stressed that as long as the seasoning does not need poppy shells, the boss Huang hesitated for a while and asked about the opening time and place of the hot pot restaurant before asking "how much?" "What do you have?" The reporter asked. "Titian, there are all colors!" Boss Huang told reporters that selling hot pot additives is illegal and cannot be sold on the market. The reporter learned that the price of the fragrance agent is 31-1 kg in 41 yuan, and a small spoon in a pot will have an effect. "Like putting monosodium glutamate, 1 kg of fragrance agent is enough for hundreds of pots to use for a long time!" While chili essence can be bought in a large bottle around 31 yuan, "1 liter is enough for you". After communicating with the reporter, Boss Huang relaxed her vigilance and left her mobile phone number for the reporter. "If necessary, call and deliver it to your door!"

knowing that the reporter's "hot pot restaurant" is about to open, Mr. Huang also reminded me that "it is best to mix regular seasonings and additives instead of just using chemical additives to make the bottom of the pot". Mr. Huang said that this will not only ensure the cost, but also ensure the taste of the hot pot.

The hot pot industry has exposed its "dirty laundry"

"These hot pot additives in the Nanjing market should have been well controlled long ago." Wang Kai, deputy director of the Hot Pot Professional Committee of the Provincial Catering Industry Association, bluntly said that many hot pot restaurants in Nanjing are using additives to fool consumers-

The owner of a chain hot pot restaurant said: The most common spicy pot costs 26 yuan

"How can a merchant treat you to dinner without making money!" In a chain hotpot restaurant on Jiefang Road in Nanjing, the boss reported to the reporter the cost of their hotpot ingredients: the ordinary spicy pot in their store does not add any chemical additives, and the bottom of the pot includes nearly ten kinds of natural materials, such as pepper, dried pepper, angelica, cinnamon, clove, etc. In terms of cost alone, the bottom of this pot is at least 26 yuan, and their external price is 31 yuan. The boss said that in order to ensure that the bottom material of our hot pot is genuine, their dishes can be discounted, but the bottom pot never gives the price.

In another hot pot restaurant just across the street, the bottom material of hot pot is provided free of charge. Under normal circumstances, two people can enjoy their meals around 31 yuan. For the latter's low price, the owner of the previous chain hot pot restaurant seemed to disagree. He calculated an account for the reporter. The hot pot of more than 31 yuan will include seven or eight kinds of dishes, pot bottoms, seasonings, labor, gas and other expenses. If you don't play tricks, it is impossible to make money. The easiest thing to play tricks on is the soup base of hot pot, because nothing else can be discounted or saved. Chen Yu

Mr. Wu, who is opening a shop in Nanjing

Mr. Wu has opened a hotpot restaurant near a university town in Nanjing. Because I am doing a student business, I naturally chose a low-cost route-no money at the bottom of the pot. In this way, you can eat hot pot for tens of yuan, and natural customers are full at every meal. Facing the reporter, Mr. Wu admitted: "The secret" is on the bottom of the pot. "How much good material can you say there is in the bottom of the pot for free?"

Conscience: Mr. Xu who quit

So, how much does it cost to cook the spicy soup base with additives? Through the introduction of a friend, the reporter contacted a Mr. Xu who had done hot pot business in Nanjing.

The owners of two "pot bottom free" hot pot restaurants said: Add essence, hot pot red and poppy powder when cooking butter ...

Mr. Wu always cooks the bottom of hot pot himself. On the one hand, the "secret recipe" is kept secret, on the other hand, "to tell the truth, if you know what's in it, you probably won't eat hot pot again."

Mr. Wu said that compared with those "spitter pots" and "pig food pots", the materials used for his own base materials are relatively solid: first of all, Mr. Wu bought the base oil for the most important butter and lard in the pot bottom. "Twelve or three catties of butter is probably 81 yuan, and lard is also 41 yuan. Of course, it would be cheaper to boil oil with beef intestine oil or fat. " Mr. Wu said that the bottom oil is the basis of hot pot bottom material, and some stores do use gutter oil and the like. "But at this level, it is completely black-hearted money."

the base oil is nothing, but all kinds of seasonings. Mr. Wu told reporters that more than ten kinds of seasonings, such as plant essence, hot pot red, flavoring agent, chicken essence, chicken powder, poppy powder, etc., should be added to the bottom material of his hot pot. "These are additives, and they are only fragrant when added to the bottom material."

When cooking the base material, you usually need twelve or three catties of butter, plus some lard, and add the above spices while cooking. "For example, 81 yuan's butter and 41 yuan's lard, these spices also need thirty or forty yuan, which is not suitable." Mr. Wu told reporters that in the later stage of boiling, all kinds of spices should be fished out from the melted oil. After the boiling is completed, the cooled oil becomes solid again and is divided into several parts. When the guests need it, they can add water and heat it to melt it into a bottom pot, which can be served soon. "Because almost all the spices have been fished out, when you eat, you can't see what is in the bottom material except the surface floating pepper powder, Jiang Mo, pepper, watercress and lobster sauce."

just like this, the bottom material of a pot cooked at home costs about 151 yuan, which can be used in Mr. Wu's shop for about a week. "I am a small shop, and it won't cost much to calculate the bottom material in a month. Free is free. However, if the store is large, it may be necessary to use waste oil to save on the bottom material. " Zhang Jun

White water can be "added" into spicy oil without boiling

Mr. Xu told reporters that he was also a cheap hot pot in his early years. At that time, the hot pot business was particularly easy to do, and the cheaper the hot pot, the more prosperous it was. But in the end, the bottom materials of those hot pots were all blended, and things such as fire pot fragrance and Chili essence existed as early as a few years ago, but at that time, these additives were still difficult to market. According to his memory, at that time, the cost of a spicy pot bottom was three or four yuan, and then some symbolic worthless dry goods were put properly, so there was no need to boil them at all. Just pour some boiling water, add some special additives, and then boil them with a big fire. The original boiled water of glistening will gradually turn into spicy oil soup, which is not only spicy but also attractive, so that it can be served to guests.

But after about half a year, Mr. Xu felt that the money was really unstable and gave it to others. So far, he still feels guilty, because he is really worried about whether these additives are harmful to people's health. Anyway, at that time, he and his family never ate hot pot in the store.

● Special reminder

How to distinguish "adding" hot pot?

At the end of the interview, Mr. Xu specially asked the reporter to convey several ways to identify the "adding" hot pot:

First of all, don't go to those hot pot restaurants that smell strong as soon as you enter the door. Because according to experience, the aroma of hot pot is naturally emitted, and it should be more fragrant as it is cooked, while the hot pot at one end is full of aroma, and most of it may have been added with flavoring agent.

secondly, you can observe the spicy pot bottom served in the hot pot restaurant. If the spicy oil in the spicy pot looks bright and red, then there must be hidden problems in the bottom of the spicy pot: because the bottom of the spicy pot boiled under normal circumstances should be slightly turbid, and the bright spicy pot is obviously added with Chili essence or hot pot red.

● How to supervise

food additives is beyond my control?

Are these "hot pot fragrance", "chili essence" and "hot pot red" which are easily bought in the market harmful to people's health? With this question, the reporter dialed the telephone number 12365 of the Provincial Quality Supervision Bureau. However, to the reporter's regret, after connecting the phone, the staff of the other party frankly said that there were too many kinds of food additives, and she could not clearly tell the reporter whether these products could be eaten.

Then the reporter got in touch with the industry and commerce department. The answer of the industrial and commercial department here is also very frank. A staff member said that the industrial and commercial department regards the goods being sold in the market as qualified as long as they are not three products, regardless of whether there is a factory name and address contact number on the product packaging. That is to say, as long as there is no problem with the naked eye or no one reports the goods, then they can't stop the operators from selling.

To the reporter's embarrassment, the factory name, address, contact number and product name are indeed available on the three products "Fragrant, Hot Pot Red and Pepper Essence", but according to the requirements, the correct QS number should consist of 12 digits, but these three products are marked with 11 digits.

The additives of the 1 # floor pot include: hot pot red, hot pot fragrance, etc. All belong to chemical additives.