Food Fraud
Food Fraud
Food Fraud
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DEFINITION OF FOOD FRAUD
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REVIEW OF FOOD INGREDIENTS, ADULTERANT-SUBSTANCES, AND
ESTIMATED ECONOMIC GAIN, PER UNIT PER FRAUD INCIDENT
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FOOD FRAUD – WORLDWIDE PROBLEM
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U.S. PHARMACOPEIAL (USP) CONVENTION'S FOOD FRAUD DATABASE.
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OCEANA
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EXAMPLES OF FOOD FRAUD
November 2015 to February 2016:
In the UK, about 10,000 liters of fake or adulterated wine, whiskey, and vodka. In
Greece, more than 7,400 bottles of fake alcohol and counterfeit labels. The seized
alcohol was enough to fill 12,000 bathtubs.
• In Australia, nearly 1,000 pounds of adulterated or blended honey, plus peanuts
repackaged as more expensive pine nuts (a major risk for people with allergies).
• In a warehouse in Bolivia, thousands of cans of sardines with fake labels of a
famous Peruvian brand ready to be put on them.
• In Italy, more than 85 tons of olives that had been dipped in copper sulphate
solution to boost color.
• In Hungary, more than 2 tons of duck meat being passed off as duck liver (that is,
pricey foie gras).
• In Thailand, more than 30 tons of illegal beef and buffalo meat that was not fit for
human consumption, but was on its way to supermarkets.
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WHAT ARE THE TOP TWO ADULTERATED FOODS?
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THE TOP TEN MOST ADULTERATED FOODS IN THE UNITED STATES
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OLIVE OIL
In Spain in 1981 people died after "olive oil" that was actually a non-
food-grade (industrial-grade) rapeseed oil intended as an industrial
lubricant was sold. There were 20,000 people sick and it killed 1,200.
In 1998, adulteration of cooking oils in India made with oil from the
Mexican Poppy (Argemone mexicana) made more than 2,500 people sick
and killed at least 65.
2016- the Italian press revealed large-scale olive oil fraud. Products from
seven major olive oil producers labelled as Extra Virgin Olive Oil also
contained significant amounts of lower quality oils and therefore did not
meet EU labelling rules for extra virgin olive oil.
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INTERNATIONAL OLIVE OIL BUYING TIPS
International olive oils, look for the Protected Designation of Origin logo, which
guarantees that these oils were indeed produced, processed, and prepared in a specific
region of the labeled country using traditional production methods—as opposed to
containing oils from elsewhere (often soybean or hazelnut oil) that were simply bottled in
the labeled country.
French olive oils will sport an “AOC” (Appelation d’origine contrôlée) logo.
Italian olive oil will show a “DOP” (Denominazione di Origine Protetta)
logo, and
Spanish olive oil will have a “DO” (Denominación de Origen) seal.
Look for Extra Virgin Alliance (EVA) and UNAPROL, the respected Italian olive
growers’ association.
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DOMESTIC OLIVE OIL BUYING TIPS
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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN AND OLIVE OIL
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BALSAMIC VINEGAR
Top of the line balsamic vinegar, officially known as Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale, stems
from grape varieties grown in one of two provinces in northern Italy—Reggio Emilia
and Modena.
Most of the supermarket brands are mass produced with caramel, sugar
and other flavorings and preservatives. True traditional balsamic vinegar
has only one ingredient: cooked grape must, or mosto d’uva cotto. It is the
grape juice that contains stems, seeds, and skins—is cooked over low heat
until it is quite thick and dark brown, then left to rest, activating the natural
fermentation
The vinegar is poured into smaller and smaller barrels as it ages, anywhere from 12 to
50 years. Each barrel is made of specific woods that help give balsamic vinegar its
unique, multilayered taste.
Imitation balsamic vinegar starts off with wine, rather than grape must, and usually has
sweeteners and coloring added during its quick processing to give it the appearance
and flavor of aged balsamic.
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SPOTTING HIGH QUALITY BALSAMIC VINEGAR
A high price does not guarantee authenticity, but you will never come across
authentic Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale at a bargain price. (It may instead be the
less expensive Aceto Balsamico di Modena.)
The DOP seal on balsamic vinegar from Italy guarantees that the bottle
was produced and bottled in Italy using traditional methods and following strictly
regulated guidelines set forth by the Italian government.
To spot the legitimate balsamic vinegar varieties, you want to see the
word “tradizionale” on the label, and “grape must” or “aged grape
must” should be listed as an ingredient.
On the back label it should also say produced and bottled by. This
means the producer actually grew the grapes used in the vinegar and produced
the vinegar too. It’s an indication of higher quality.
There will be a seal on top of the bottle. This seal bears a number and a
hologram, a sign of certification from the Consorzio.
EXTRAVECCHIO ACETO BALSAMICO TRADIZIONALE DI 17
MODENA DOP GOLD SEAL BALSAMIC VINEGAR $195.95
SKU AFF‐002
SPOTTING HIGH QUALITY BALSAMIC VINEGAR
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PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO
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CUTTING MILK
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BABY FORMULA
Although not a top offender in the Food Fraud database, baby formula
poses considerable food fraud risk.
Formula is one of the most common targets for organized retail theft
and criminals often tamper with the sell-by codes to move expired
product.
Adulterated milk, which can make it into formula, also poses a concern.
TIPS: Buy from a major retailer rather than less-monitored venues such
as flea markets and online auctions. And don't buy any package that has a
blurred-out expiration date or otherwise looks tampered with.
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HONEY AND MAPLE SYRUP
Honey and maple syrup may be processed with corn syrup and
other sugars to increase their sweetness, and to dilute
them; both products are expensive to produce and process, and a
low-cost filler can make them stretch further.
The Journal of Food Sciences study says honey represents 7% of
food fraud cases. Food Safety News tests also found that 75% of
store honey doesn't contain pollen. People are still buying a
bee-made product, but all the pollen has been screened out,.
A lack of pollen makes it tough to determine its geographic
origin -- and also means regulators don't recognize the product
as honey.
Food Safety News tests found a third of the faux honey imports
from Asia were contaminated with heavy metals like lead and
illegal Chinese antibiotics.
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SAFFRON
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ADULTRATED SPICES
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BLACK PEPPER
Pepper has a history of being
tainted with starch, papaya
seeds, flour, buckwheat, and
millet.
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VANILLA FRAUD
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WATERING DOWN ORANGE JUICE AND POMEGRANATE JUICE
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ORANGE JUICE
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JUICES AND CLOUDING AGENTS
DEFINITION:
Clouding agents or Cloudy Agent/Cloudifier are a type of
food additive used to make beverages such as fruit juices to
look more cloudy, and thus more natural-looking and visually
appealing, typically by creating an emulsion of oil droplets.
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COFFEE AND TEA
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TEA
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THE U.S. SEAFOOD SUPPLY
2012 study by Oceana discovered that almost 40% of Farmed fish also get advertised as more expensive
fish sold in New York City was mislabeled. wild versions.
A 2013 U.S. study conducted by Oceana found 38 per Scallops, for example, might actually be punched out
cent of all restaurants sampled and 74 per cent of all circles from a whitefish fillet,.
sushi eateries, mislabeled the species of fish served.
Grouper might be what it is labeled but it is really
It may be advertised as wild caught when it’s farmed, or tilefish, a species that contains enough mercury to
as a totally different species. make the FDA's list of foods that pregnant women
and young children should avoid.
And when fish is sold in fillet or frozen form, it’s hard to
tell what it is and where it came from without genetic
testing. Experts suggest buying whole fish when possible –
which are harder to fake.
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MANY FISH LOOK ALIKE
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GROUPER, OR IS IT?
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WILD OR FARM RAISED SALMON?
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RED SNAPPER OR TILAPIA?
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EXAMPLES OF COMMONLY MISLABELED SEAFOOD
RED SNAPPER Slender Pinjalo, Channel BLUEFIN TUNA Bigeye Tuna,Yellowfin Tuna
Catfish, Nile Perch,
MahiMahi, Mullet Snapper, WHITE TUNA Escolar
Malabar Blood Snapper,
Atlantic Cod WHITE SNAPPER White Hake
MAHI MAHI Yellowtail ATLANTIC COD Alaska Pollock, Norwegian
Pollock, Whiting, Saithe,
Escolar
GROUPER Channel Catfish, Hake,
CHILEAN SEA BASS White Bass, Striped Bass
Tilapia, Alaska Pollock, Nile
Perch SHARK MEAT Nile Perch 38
WILD SALMON Farmed Salmon
EXAMPLES OF COMMONLY MISLABELED SEAFOOD
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Health authorities in the Japanese city of Gamagori were forced to
activate an emergency warning system after a local supermarket
accidentally sold five packages of potentially deadly pufferfish to
customers.
EMERGENCY The fish, called fugu in Japan, is prized as a delicacy, but has also been
ALERT IN JAPAN dubbed the 'Russian roulette' of dining because it contains a dangerous
poison called tetrodotoxin, the consumption of which can be fatal to
AFTER humans.
SUPERMARKET In fact, at least 10 Japanese people have died since 2006 from eating the
ACCIDENTALLY toxic fish, and it used to be far worse – fugu's death toll peaked in 1958
with a stunning 176 victims, when awareness of the dangers was lower.
SOLD EXTREMELY
TOXIC FISH
JANUARY 2018
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WHITE TUNA
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RED SNAPPER
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CAMBODIAN PONGA, BASA AND SWAI
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SEAFOOD SOLUTIONS AND/OR OCEAN DUKE CORPORATION.
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STERLING SEAFOOD CORPORATION
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PRESIDENTIAL TASK FORCE ON COMBATTING ILLEGAL, UNREPORTED AND
UNREGULATED (IUU) FISHING AND SEAFOOD FRAUD
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VERIFY LABEL INFORMATION
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CAN YOU PICK
OUT WHAT TYPE
OF FISH IS IN THIS
SEAFOOD
BISQUE? THIS
ETOUFFEE? OR
THIS CIOPPINO?
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CALIMARI OR HOG RECTUM?
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KOBE BEEF
“…You cannot buy Japanese Kobe beef in this country. Not in stores, not
by mail, and certainly not in restaurants. No matter how much you have
spent, how fancy a steakhouse you went to, or which of the many
celebrity chefs who regularly feature “Kobe beef ” on their menus you
believed, you were duped. I’m really sorry to have to be the one telling you
this, but no matter how much you would like to believe you have tasted it,
if it wasn’t in Asia you almost certainly have never had Japan’s famous
Kobe beef…” Larry Olmsted , CONTRIBUTOR- FORBES.ORG
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GRAINS
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GINGKO BILOBA Ongoing problems with gingko supplements not being 100% gingko.
It takes 50 pounds of dried leaves to make one pound of extract.
To reduce costs some manufacturers or ingredient suppliers provide
less gingko than claimed or use material that has been adulterated
or spiked with one or more compounds or extracts from other
plants that can trick simple chemical tests
(It is now believed to be the most adulterated herb on the market.
Industry experts agree it is intentional.)
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FAKE ALCOHOL
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COUNTERFEIT VODKA
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FOOD FRAUD CASES – DOMESTIC AND WORLDWIDE
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2008 CHINESE TAINTED MILK SCANDAL
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ZOMBIE MEAT
More than 100,000 tons of frozen chicken, beef and pork smuggled
into China — some of it four decades old and posing a dangerous
health risk — were seized in a crackdown – June 24, 2015
Fourteen gangs were involved in smuggling the frozen food valued at
nearly half a billion dollars.
Arrests and seizures occurred in 14 provinces and regions
throughout the nation this month. Much of the meat was expired,
some of it from the 1970s.
In Hunan Province in southern China, 20 members of two gangs
were taken into custody and 800 tons of food were seized.
The Hunan seizure included frozen chicken feet, a popular
Chinese snack served cold and with beer.
News of the smuggled food swept the Internet in China where tens
of thousands complained about "Jiangshi Fengzhao" or "zombie
chicken feet" being slipped past official food inspections.
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RUSSIA (2015) PALM OIL IN MILK
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FINES
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ANOTHER TYPE OF FOOD FRAUD
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CASE STUDY: HORSEMEAT IN BEEF
Horsemeat was illegally mixed into beef The horse meat scandal of 2013 was a turning point
products. This incident occurred primarily in the for DNA analysis in food authenticity. The discovery
British consumer marketplace in 2013, of horse meat as a fraudulent addition to beef meat
preparations across Europe, such as burgers and
The product was produced in Romania, and was
lasagna, brought to the attention of consumers, law
transshipped through several European
countries. enforcers, and regulators the need for reliable, rapid,
and effective tools for detection of such cases of
This is an adulterant-substance Food Fraud adulteration.
incident because horsemeat was not authorized
as an ingredient or as a substitute for beef. It was evident that the only way to detect the
Additionally, the product was not labeled as presence of horse meat was through analysis of
containing horsemeat. DNA extracted from food.
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WHAT CAN YOU DO
ABOUT FOOD FRAUD
AS A CONSUMER?
Ask questions
Become familiar with the type
of foods you like
Buy from reputable sources
Be skeptical when prices are
really too low
Be aware of legitimate sites
where there is additional
information
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