Five wraps are "unsatisfactory"
For those who seek variety but don't enjoy cooking, preparing a meal with wraps is an easy solution. The base for these meals can be filled with various ingredients according to individual taste using wraps. Unfortunately, the quality of the tortilla dough leaves much to be desired.
To make wraps, one only needs flour, water, some oil, and a pinch of salt. These are also known as tortillas and are made from wheat or cornmeal. Wrap is simply the term for the soft layers. "To wrap" means to roll or enclose ingredients in a tortilla. However, in this context, the terms tortilla and wrap are often used interchangeably. Let's stick with the term wrap.
Despite this, Oko-Test, which conducted an investigation on 19 corresponding products, was only moderately impressed with the results.
In almost all products, the lab identified mineral oil contaminants. In some cases, the levels were high enough to result in deducted points during the evaluation. In one product, the consumer protection organization identified particularly concerning aromatic mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOAH), some of which are classified as carcinogenic. And in 18 out of 19 wraps, the lab found pesticides or pesticide residues. The levels were in trace amounts, but some products contained up to four different pesticides.
Eight "insufficient" or "deficient" - only two "very good"
The excessive use of salt was also negatively evaluated in some products, as were additives and health-harming substances such as E-numbers and additives. This includes phosphate compounds, which can damage the kidneys. In the wraps, they appear as phosphate additives listed as E 450 in the ingredient list. The use of E 466 also led to a downgrade. It is used as a stabilizer and thickener. According to studies, it harms gut health.
Overall, eight wraps were given the rating of "insufficient" or "deficient" due to one or more of these issues. The "Gut & Günstig Tortilla Wraps" from Edeka, the "Fuego Classic Wrap Tortillas" from Theodor Kattus, and the "Mestemacher California Wraps Weizen XL" from Mestemacher were among those rejected.
The testers awarded the highest rating of "very good" to only two conventional products in the test: the "K- Classic Weizen Tortilla Wraps" and the "Mike Mitchell’s Weizen Tortillas," both priced at 0.22 Euro per piece.
Given the concerns about the quality and health implications of some wrap products, consulting with a nutrition advisor could be beneficial. They could provide recommendations on which brands or types of wraps, such as those made from whole grains like cereals, are healthier options. Regular food tests, like those conducted by Öko-Test, can help identify potential contaminants and harmful substances in wraps. Therefore, it's essential to choose wraps that have undergone thorough testing and have a clean label, free from additives and high sodium content.
