What are the Types of Food Fraud?

Posted by Charles Wilson on September 6th, 2022

For financial gain, manufacturers modify the product’s packaging, its ingredient or the food product itself. Food fraud is the careful and intentional substitution, addition, tampering, or misrepresentation of food, food ingredients. Food fraud has been documented in past. Over the years, the food industry has been suffering from spoiled brands, revenue loss and customers health effects. While prevalent, food fraud anticipation programs chase after them.

It seems like totally eliminating food fraud activities is an impossible task. In fact, the global food industry suffers an appraised lost around to billion annually. Food items that can be different in any way possible without the customers suspicion are most susceptible to such fake activity. Here are the types of food fraud.

Adulteration: Adulteration is the act of mixing another ingredient of lesser quality to rise the quantity of the food product. Most adulterant may either be injurious to the human health or lower the quality of the food item. The bad news is that there’s no one can do to tell unless there is an access to an analytical testing in a food laboratory. Milk and milk products, fat and oils, meat and meat products generally fall victims to such fraudulent act.

Counterfeiting: People are conscious of fashion counterfeit items like shoes, bags and clothes. Fake items that look like globally known brands like Adidas, Nike, Puma, Chanel, Louis Vuitton are dominant, especially in Asia. Manufacturers would even modify the logo or spelling to avoid lawsuit. This faking also happens in the food industry. Another manufacturer would copy all about a popular food brand for immediate customer following. These copycats have a higher chance of being manufactured without ensuing quality systems such as Good Manufacturing Practices and Good Hygiene Practices.

Mislabeling: Mislabeling of a food product occur when the label information doesn’t parallel to what precisely the product is about. Such act can be made unintentionally. However, there are many manufacturers who mislabel their products knowingly to mask anything that would stop the consumers from purchasing.

It may be a small issue, but many companies have lost a huge money because of mislabeling. One-time, vast companies such as Burger King and Nestle had to pull their complaint products after learning they essentially contained horse meat. Also, omitting an important labelling formation is vital. Not declaring that a precise food item covers allergens can be fatal to an allergic person.

Substitution: Substitution is the act of replacement of an ingredient, of high value, with another ingredient, of low value. Most honey products in the world are not pure. Most of adulterated honey products have come from Asia, mainly in China. Only for financial gain, they would dilute honey with an inexpensive variety of sugar like corn syrup or beet sugar to rise the volume. For health-conscious persons, it’s a must to read the label of a food product for its configuration. The harmless way is to source food from the neighborhood. It is certain that the product has not gone through any procedure that will negatively affect the quality.

Use of unapproved enhancements: The use of unapproved enhancements doesn’t chiefly target additional volume but for improved quality. The use of cyanamide to rise the protein content of milk and powdered baby formula. This traces back to the dilution of milk with water to rise the volume but lowers the protein content. This practice is especially true for milk for additional production. The use of melamine in food isn’t permitted by FAO, or any other governing bodies. This accompaniment can cause bad effect on the urinary system.

Concealment: Concealment is the act of concealing the low quality of a food product or ingredient mainly through a precise method. Fresh fruits are susceptible to diseases and defects such as bruises and scars. In order for them to stay looking good and eye-catching for customers, producers would apply harmful food coloring on them. While is no evidence that they’re injurious, this additive can reason allergies to some.

Food Defense & Food Fraud Awareness Training will deliver basic knowledge of food defense, food fraud and TACCP & VACCP, and hence, it helps to improve food safety in organization. This Food Defense & Food Fraud Awareness Training will help to gain knowledge and understanding of vulnerabilities of food supply chain as well as the procedure of threat and vulnerability assessments.