Cheap ingredients added to pesto

Italian pesto sold by UK supermarkets contains substitute and often cheaper ingredients such as sunflower oil, carrot and even bamboo fibres, an investigation has found.

A test of 12 own-brand pestos – all made in Italy – found a range of additions to the sauce’s traditional four key ingredients of basil, pine nuts, parmesan and olive oil.

Which? found all of the standard pestos were made with up to 49 per cent basil, but also contained cheaper alternatives such as cashew nuts instead of pine nuts.