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If you are about to throw your bacon and eggs in the pan this morning, take another look at the bacon packaging - chances are you were sold a porkie.
New research reveals consumers are buying pork products that are waterlogged and unhealthy, due to "unacceptably" erroneous labelling.
The study, conducted by Consumer NZ, shows manufacturers add water to bacon and ham products in order to charge more dollars per kilogram for less meat.
The worst pork products were shown to carry up to 50 per cent water content, meaning the meat - particularly bacon - shrinks considerably once cooked.
The Food Standards Code system currently works on "average values", meaning levels of fat, protein and sodium can vary 20 per cent from what is printed on the label.
The findings have prompted NZ Pork emphasise the need for clearer labelling on all local and imported pork products.
But the research is a blow to the industry, already reeling from the impact of public confusion around swine flu, and comedian Mike King's televised raid on an intensive pig farm.
Consumer NZ research found all brands of "sandwich ham" tested had more than 20 per cent additional water. Hobson's Choice ham was 50 per cent added water.
The wettest bacon was the Pam's Smoked brand, which had 16 per cent added water.
Three of the five bacon products tested had at least 20 per cent more fat than claimed on the labels.
And in addition, Home Brand Middle Rashers, Beehive Smoked Middle Bacon, Pam's Smoked Middle Bacon and Goulds Sandwich Ham all had more than the "tolerated" 20 per cent protein.
Traditional methods of adding brine and flavour to pork meats have been largely abandoned by the industry, which takes short cuts by injecting brine into meat through needles and adding "smoked flavour".
The pork industry blames consumers for the manufacturing process, saying this is the only method to provide the cheaper products people are demanding.
But NZ Pork chairman Chris Trengrove said he encouraged clearer labelling and more awareness about water added to products.
"A lot of those products are at the lower end of the price scale at the top end you'll find the labelling is clearer and they do have less water," he said.
"You'll find a lot of the cheaper products are made from some imported meat as well, but they are made at a price demanded by supermarkets and consumers. I do agree that there is not enough regulation at all."
Pork manufacturers Goulds said it would be reviewing its nutrition information, with its sandwich ham product being a priority.
John Kippenberger, managing director of Premier which produces the Beehive bacon and ham ranges, said the water content varied between products and was part of the curing process, as did the protein levels.
"Given the nature of a raw material which has come from an animal, there are natural variations of both water and protein between batches of product," he said.
"Consumers are very discerning on things like water content of meat, and if they find one brand isn't living up to their expectations then they will switch."
Other manufacturers could not be contacted, or did not return calls.
Consumer NZ says changes need to be made to the food code, adding maximum and minimum nutritional values on labels.
