Gourmands, beware: investigators in France fear that bogus moules are on their way across the Channel, destined for British tables. Fraudsters are cashing in on the demand for mussels harvested in the bay of Mont St Michel, highly prized because of their plump, orange flesh.

Every year, 10,000 tons of the distinctive molluscs are plucked from the waters of the bay on the north-west coast of Normandy. However, an estimated 20,000 tons bearing the Mont St Michel name are now being served in restaurants across Europe.
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The French authorities have become so concerned that they have just taken the unusual step of granting the coveted Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) tag to the Mont St Michel bouchot mussel. It is the first marine product to be awarded the honour, which is usually applied to fine wines and cheeses.

Investigators in France fear that when the mussels come into season in a few weeks’ time, many of the counterfeits will be exported to Britain.

However, British fishmongers believe the French fears may have been overcooked. Mitchell Tonks, who owns the FishWorks chain of fishmongers and restaurants, said that his customers preferred mussels harvested in British waters. “We only buy in the French bouchots when our favourite UK mussels are spawning. The mussels grown on our own south coast, from the Fowey to the Exe, are the best to be found anywhere,” he said.

Read full story (Telegraph)