Swindled: From Poison Sweets to Counterfeit Coffee - The Dark History of the Food Cheats

'Meticulously researched and fascinating to read, Swindled is guaranteed to give you food for thought'
'A wonderully written, thrilling rollercoaster of a book . . . A must-read: loaded with flavour, it is a satisfying rich stew of savoury details and meaty chunks of information - nourishment for the mind'
'Riveting . . . If ever a book could convince you that the only food worth eating is that which you have scrupulously shopped for in reputable local shops and cooked yourself from scratch, it is this one'
'Bee Wilson is not only an able historian but a food writer with a passion rooted very much in the present. She wants to shake us awake, to make us look afresh at the food we eat. She does so triumphantly . . . erudite and entertaining . . . Wilson is a fervent lover of food but Swindled is not blind polemic . . . It is her considered and often humorous approach that makes this book so successful'
'[Bee Wilson's] intellectual rigour and disciplined research skills prove a great match with her seamless and engaging writing - she manages to bring history alive, and leaves you wanting more'
'Gripping reading - don't miss it'
'Lively and well-argued'
'Engrossing'
'A cautionary tale, it provides ample food for thought'
'Wilson brings a humorous touch to the history of swindlers who have tampered with our food'

Preface xi
Chapter 1: German Ham and English Pickles 1
Chapter 2: A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread 46
Chapter 3: Government Mustard 94
Chapter 4: Pink Margarine and Pure Ketchup 152
Chapter 5: Mock Goslings and Pear-nanas 213
Chapter 6: Basmati Rice and Baby Milk 272
Epilogue: Adulteration in the Twenty-fi rst Century 322
Notes 329
Bibliography 351
Acknowledgments 363
Picture Credits 365
Index 367