Moncton — The next time you find yourself browsing through desserts at your local grocery store, you should remain vigilant, according to researchers at the University of New Brunswick, who are saying that increasingly more shoppers are confusing oatmeal chocolate chip cookies with its dreaded counterpart, oatmeal raisin.
A recent survey led by Paul Tart and Ramona Clusterberry from UNB’s Department of Food Science found that more than half of shoppers in the Maritimes had mistakenly bought oatmeal raisin cookies on at least one occasion.
“It’s a disturbing trend to see,” Tart said. “Raisins can be anywhere. They are the evil stepsister to our beloved chocolate chips. We urge all shoppers to remain vigilant.”
The findings prompted Tart and Clusterberry, who are also pastry connoisseurs, to establish Get Raisins Out Of Sweet Stuff (GROSS), a pan-Canadian initiative advocating against the injection of raisins into sugary delights.
“Raisins have no business being in cookies, pastries or any kind of dessert,” explained Clusterberry. “They are desecrating our most beloved sweets.”
Olivia Sugarman, 33, found herself haunted by a recent visit to her local Sobeys in Moncton.
“I got what I thought I was a box of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies,” she said. “When I got home, I took one bite and spat it out. I had mistakenly bought oatmeal raisin cookies.
“It was disgusting,” Sugarman said. “I hate myself for it. I should have looked at the box. Why didn’t I look at the box?!”
When asked for tips on what shoppers can do to prepare themselves, Clusterberry simply said to look at the box. “Always look at the box,” she said.