How, exactly?
Um, no. This is nowhere near beyond what our science can validate. Not only is the biology of this process incredibly well known, the flavors and aromas involved are all easily and routinely identified my GCMS and the biological pathways to create them are all well known.
Um, no. First of all, that would not only be illegal, but they would be ostracized by the community, the Confreres, the distributors and the public.
Not only are there hundreds of local Commanderies vetting the quality of the products and processes, there are the equivalent of our land grant universities and government-funded research agencies investigating and documenting every aspect of this.
https://www6.angers-nantes.inrae.fr/irhs_eng/
These aren’t salesmen or distributors, these are farmers and scientists. The only “woo” involved is when they all convince you to sample everything and you stand up too fast.
Besides, have you ever spoken to the French about food? Adulteration is why they invented the guillotine in the first place. Allegedly.
