Page 50 - FoodFocusThailand No.184 July 2021

STRONG QC &
STRONG QC & QAQA

Food fraud is the act of purposely altering,
misrepresenting, mislabeling, substituting or
tampering with any food product at any point
along the farm to table food supply chain. Fraud
can occur in the raw material, in an ingredient, in
the final product or in the food’s packaging which
harmful to private or public health.
Food Fraud...

The Falsification in Food Industry

We should know

One of the main reasons that food fraud doesn’t get as much The adulterated products were immediately withdrawn from the market
attention as it deserves is because the effects on the human body and the public was advised not to consume them.
usually go unnoticed, or the connection between illness and 2. The Horsemeat Scandal in UK This scandal was when meat from
fraudulent–food consumption is not clear. horses entered the supply chain as beef and ended up being sold in many
During the COVID-19 pandemic will be an enormous products in the UK. Initially identified in Ireland, the scandal stretched
opportunity for those who engage in this form of cheating to upscale across Europe and beyond. The horsemeat scandal infiltrated numerous
their operations. These warnings have come at a time where many supply chains and lead to millions of products being withdrawn.
systems – responsible for checking, inspecting, auditing and testing Additionally, there was a huge loss of consumer confidence in some of
supply chains around the world – have either been greatly scaled the biggest brands in the UK market.
back or totally collapsed. Furthermore (and understandably), food
companies and, indeed, entire countries, are much more How to Prevent the Risk from Food Fraud
preoccupied with trying to ensure an adequate food supply, rather Different countries have different food fraud regulations and often they
than confirming their suppliers are all delivering 100 percent even define the words according to their own unique priorities. If you are
genuine and authentic food. exporting, you need to know what the legal. One way to measure the risk
of food fraud in raw materials is to embrace Vulnerability Assessment
Food Fraud Aftermath Critical Control Point (VACCP) in your operation. There are several
Food fraud can have a devastating impact on consumers and methods that can be used, but some require far more resources in terms
companies alike. All cases involve defrauding consumers, and in of staff knowledge, time and capability than is available in the average
the worst case scenarios, people can get sick or die. But even food business, then the food safety must be strictly followed as usual and
instances that don’t pose health risks can have wide-ranging if in the process have to relocate the raw material or food product to other
negative effects on the food industry. A recent study reported a places the food fraud test must be acted to prevent the adulteration.
single case of food fraud can diminish the perceived value of all Food fraud situation are normally happening in nowadays even in the
products in the category, and a 2014 UK report found that reducing critical event such as COVID-19 outbreak. Good practice and well organize
the cost of fraud in the commercial sector could boost profits by procedure will be able to avoid a fraudulent food problem, also an up-to-
34%. date prevention of adulteration in food could enhance the procedure to
be more thorough. For customers safe and ensure their loyal, Moreover,
Food Fraud Circumstance Around the World to decrease the rate of product recall.
1. Not a Sweet Deal Honey continues to be a popular target
for fraudulent activity, as this latest case shows. In 2021 A large
number of batches of honey imported into Greece from inside and
outside the European Union contained adulterants like added Service Info C008
sugars and prohibited caramel colors, which was proven by
chemical analysis. Honey produced in Greece was not affected. More Information

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