Test confirms if lasagne sauce does ‘taste of bacon’ as Muslim mum claims it did

A vegetarian lasagne sauce which a Muslim mum claimed 'tasted like bacon' does in fact taste like the pork product, a test has revealed.

Earlier this week Rianne Ward said she was distraught when she tried the product, believing that she had betrayed her religion by consuming pork.

The healthcare assistant planned to make her and her son a pasta dish with a jar of Cucina creamy lasagne sauce, reports Derbyshire Live.

But the 39-year-old said the sauce – labelled vegetarian – smelled odd and believed it may have been 'contaminated'.

She lodged a formal complaint. Aldi have insisted the sauce is suitable for those who do not eat meat.

Now staff at Derbyshire Live have put the claims to the test purchasing the sauce in question as well as a carbonara sauce, to see if her accusations held up.

Reporter Chris Harper, who broke the original story, went first. He knew it smelled like bacon when he spoke to Miss Ward, but didn't taste it when he interviewed her.

As the sauce touched his tongue, his mouth was filled with a taste of smoky bacon. It was a similar taste to Walkers Smoky Bacon crisps – which are also suitable for vegetarians.

Despite having the texture of baby food, he said he would definitely buy this if he was going to make a lasagne or create another pasta dish.

Next was the carbonara sauce which had very visible bits of meat inside it.

According to the jar, the bits were pieces of ham.

The sauce was very peppery to the point where you couldn’t really taste much else.

There was a slight taste of cheese but it was overridden by the pepper. It reminded him of Heinz Chicken Soup.

Reporter Nick Reid was next up and noted the 'veggie' sauce had a very thick and gloopy consistency.

He said that the sauce immediately had a strong taste of bacon, smoky bacon in fact, and its heavy texture also gave it a sharp aftertaste and bacon flavour remained throughout.

Next was the carbonara sauce, which he said had a distinct flavour similar to that of the lasagne sauce.

He noted the consistency was more like chicken soup and also had a strong hint of pepper running through it.

Other reporters noted the lasagne sauce’s “strong bacon flavour” and smell while Tom Bokros said the carbonara tasted like frankfurter.

Eddie Bisknell enjoyed the lasagne sauce and noted how it tasted much more like bacon than the carbonara sauce.

The website says that the reporters enjoyed the taste of the sauce and would buy it in the future and understood Miss Ward's worries and accusations.

A spokesperson from Aldi said: “We are sorry to hear Miss Ward is unhappy with this product and can reassure her the lasagne sauce is completely meat free.

"The product is flavoured with smoked salt which gives it its distinctive taste.”

Source: Read Full Article