In addition to whey, sold as an alternative to pasteurized milk in the face of soaring prices, supermarkets in the outskirts of São Paulo have been selling items such as broken beans, edges of cold cuts —trays with leftover cheese and ham—, chicken carcass and its skin.
In Capão Redondo, in the south zone, the report found, next to the common bean, the so-called "out-of-range beans", composed of 70% whole grains and 30% "bandinha" [broken] beans, according to the website of the brand Solito Alimentos.
The selling of such product is authorized as long as it is clearly displayed, "meeting the marking and labeling requirements".
In the market, this type of bean costs R$ 8.48 ($ 1.7), while the traditional carioca of the same brand cost R$ 9.98 ($ 2).
At the same store, edges of cold cuts were sold as discount items, with pieces of leftover cheese. In Grajaú, also in the south of the capital, markets and butchers were selling chicken carcasses and their skin in plastic bags and trays.
At the Fonte Nova market, in Guarulhos, in the surrounding area of São Paulo, a carton of milk ranges from R$8 ($ 1.6) to R$10 ($ 2). Over there, by-products such as whey and condensed mixtures have become the cheapest alternatives.
Translated by Cassy Dias