Mexico issues warnings on illegal ingredients and food prices

As Mexico approaches its Independence Day celebrations, authorities have issued warnings regarding traditional culinary ingredients. The Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) has alerted the public against the use of acitrón in chiles en nogada. Because acitrón is derived from the wild biznaga cactus, an endangered species, its extraction and sale are federal crimes punishable by one to nine years in prison and significant fines.

To preserve biodiversity, Profepa recommends legal alternatives such as crystallized jicama, candied citrus peels, sweet potato, pineapple, or pear.

Separately, the Federal Consumer Attorney (Profeco) released a price monitoring report for ingredients used in pozole. The agency noted significant price variations across different regions. For instance, pork spine prices ranged from 38 pesos per kilo in Mexico City to 149 pesos in Yucatán. Similarly, garlic prices showed extreme disparity, with the lowest price at 70.20 pesos in Veracruz and the highest reaching 286.99 pesos in Ciudad Juárez.