Food adulteration and food fraud
Hi all
What is the difference between food adulderation and food fraud?
Greetings Ali,
The terms are usually used as one and the same, but if you do want to seperate it then, according to many experts and even food authorities, "fraud" is the collective term used to encompass the deliberate and intentional substitution, addition, tampering, or misrepresentation of food, food ingredients, or food packaging; or false or misleading statements made about a product, for economic gain.
Adulteration is often used as a part of the above and refers directly to the product, while fraud refers to the action.
A very rough example would be the statement "Food fraud scandal reported from company X, regarding the adulteration of Y product". Sometimes adulteration can also refer to the action of mixing or substituting a product with something of less value.
Regards!
Hi all
What is the difference between food adulderation and food fraud?
How should the distinction be made?BRsAli
Hi Ali,
You are slightly mixing up terminologies.
As per previous post, Food Fraud, as often (but not exclusively) interpreted always involves an act of food adulteration. But all acts of food adulteration are not necessarily classified as Food Fraud.
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(Note the intentional/unintentional aspect and the differences in motivation).
Food Adulteration refers to the process by which the quality or the nature of a given food is reduced through addition of non-authentic substances, or the removal or replacement of authentic substances.
Hi sarializade,
BRCGS Global Standard Food Safety Issue 9 Glossary states the following:
Adulterant:
An undeclared material added into a food item or raw material for economic gain.
Adulteration:
The addition of an undeclared material into a food item or raw material for economic gain.
Food fraud:
Fraudulent and intentional substitution, dilution or addition to a product or raw material, or misrepresentation of the product or material, for the purpose of financial gain, by increasing the apparent value of the product or reducing the cost of its production.
So, from the BRCGS Glossary Food Fraud includes substitution and adulteration. Examples of substitution for economic gain include replacing Organic products with inorganic; replacing products of origin with cheaper alternatives for example Aberdeen Angus Beef with a cheaper alternative or replacing a high value cheese such as Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan) with a cheaper alternative.
Note that Food Fraud Categories include:
Counterfeiting - The process of copying the brand name, packaging concept, recipe, processing method etc. of food products for economic gain.
Stolen goods – Theft, something stolen, obtained in an illegal or dishonest way.
Dilution - The process of mixing a liquid ingredient with high value with a liquid of lower value.
Substitution - The process of replacing an ingredient or part of the product of high value with another ingredient or part of the product of lower value.
Concealment - The process of hiding the low quality of a food ingredients or product.
Unapproved enhancements - The process of adding unknown and undeclared materials to food products in order to enhance their quality attributes.
Mislabelling/ Misbranding - The process of placing false claims on packaging for economic gain.
Kind regards,
Tony
Hi sarializade,
BRCGS Global Standard Food Safety Issue 9 Glossary states the following:
Adulterant:
An undeclared material added into a food item or raw material for economic gain.
Adulteration:
The addition of an undeclared material into a food item or raw material for economic gain.
Food fraud:
Fraudulent and intentional substitution, dilution or addition to a product or raw material, or misrepresentation of the product or material, for the purpose of financial gain, by increasing the apparent value of the product or reducing the cost of its production.
So, from the BRCGS Glossary Food Fraud includes substitution and adulteration. Examples of substitution for economic gain include replacing Organic products with inorganic; replacing products of origin with cheaper alternatives for example Aberdeen Angus Beef with a cheaper alternative or replacing a high value cheese such as Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan) with a cheaper alternative.
Note that Food Fraud Categories include:
Counterfeiting - The process of copying the brand name, packaging concept, recipe, processing method etc. of food products for economic gain.
Stolen goods – Theft, something stolen, obtained in an illegal or dishonest way.
Dilution - The process of mixing a liquid ingredient with high value with a liquid of lower value.
Substitution - The process of replacing an ingredient or part of the product of high value with another ingredient or part of the product of lower value.
Concealment - The process of hiding the low quality of a food ingredients or product.
Unapproved enhancements - The process of adding unknown and undeclared materials to food products in order to enhance their quality attributes.
Mislabelling/ Misbranding - The process of placing false claims on packaging for economic gain.
Kind regards,
Tony
Hi Tony,
Slightly OT with respect to the Stated Category but just to note that BRC's definition of Food Fraud is afaik significantly not as interpreted in most other GFSI-recognized Standards.
Additionally, BRC's definition of "adulteration" (and presumably also "adulterant") appears (partially) misaligned to the attachment in Post 3 (ex Nestle).
Offhand (haven't checked) I anticipate that BRC's definition of Food Fraud is also not aligned to GFSI's current interpretation.
(the discrepancy primarily relates to BRC's Scope not focussing on "Safety" [perhaps wishing to cover UK's Due Diligence?])
Generally, the Scope of "Food Fraud" (and "Adulteration") can vary with Author of course.
Hi Charles,
GFSI definition implies a focus on food safety whereas food fraud is a far wider issue. BRCGS, SQF, IFS and FSSC 22000 schemes/standards all refer to economic/financial gain.
GFSI Definition
Food fraud
A collective term encompassing the deliberate and intentional substitution, addition, tampering or misrepresentation of food, food ingredients, feed, food packaging or labelling, product information or false or misleading statements made about a product for economic gain that could impact consumer health.
SQF Food Safety Code: Food Manufacturing, Edition 9
Food Fraud:
As defined by Michigan State University, a collective term used to encompass the deliberate and intentional substitution, addition, tampering, or misrepresentation of food, food ingredients, feed, or food packaging and/or labelling, product information; or false or misleading statements made about a product for economic gain. It may also include gray market or stolen goods.
SQF Food Safety Code Section 2.7.2 Food Fraud (Mandatory)
2.7.2.1 The methods, responsibility, and criteria for identifying the site's vulnerability to food fraud, including susceptibility to raw material or ingredient substitution, finished product mislabeling, dilution, or counterfeiting, shall be documented, implemented, and maintained.
IFS Food Standard for assessing product and process compliance in relation to food safety and quality VERSION 7
Food fraud:
The intentional substitution, mislabelling, adulteration or counterfeiting of food, raw materials or packaging materials placed upon the market for economic gain. This definition also applies to outsourced processes.
IFS Food Section 4.20 Food fraud
4.20.2* A documented food fraud vulnerability assessment shall be undertaken on all raw materials, ingredients, packaging materials and outsourced processes, to determine the risks of fraudulent activity in relation to substitution, mislabelling, adulteration or counterfeiting. The criteria considered within the vulnerability assessment shall be defined.
FSSC 22000 SCHEME VERSION 5.1
Appendix 1 | Definitions Food Fraud
A collective term encompassing the deliberate and intentional substitution, addition, tampering or misrepresentation of food, food ingredients or food packaging, labelling, product information or false or misleading statements made about a product for economic gain that could impact consumer health (GFSI v7.2:2018).
Part 2 | Requirements for organizations to be audited 2.5 FSSC 22000 Additional Requirements 2.5.4 FOOD FRAUD MITIGATION
2.5.4.1 VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT
The organization shall have a documented procedure in place to:
a) Conduct a food fraud vulnerability assessment to identify and assess potential vulnerabilities;
b) Develop and implement mitigation measures for significant vulnerabilities.
2.5.4.2 PLAN
a) The organization shall have a documented food fraud mitigation plan specifying the mitigation measures covering the processes and products within the FSMS scope of the organization.
b) The food fraud mitigation plan shall be supported by the organization’s FSMS.
c) The plan shall comply with the applicable legislation and be kept up to date.
Kind regards,
Tony
Hi Charles,
GFSI definition implies a focus on food safety whereas food fraud is a far wider issue. BRCGS, SQF, IFS and FSSC 22000 schemes/standards all refer to economic/financial gain.
GFSI Definition
Food fraud
A collective term encompassing the deliberate and intentional substitution, addition, tampering or misrepresentation of food, food ingredients, feed, food packaging or labelling, product information or false or misleading statements made about a product for economic gain that could impact consumer health.
SQF Food Safety Code: Food Manufacturing, Edition 9
Food Fraud:
As defined by Michigan State University, a collective term used to encompass the deliberate and intentional substitution, addition, tampering, or misrepresentation of food, food ingredients, feed, or food packaging and/or labelling, product information; or false or misleading statements made about a product for economic gain. It may also include gray market or stolen goods.
SQF Food Safety Code Section 2.7.2 Food Fraud (Mandatory)
2.7.2.1 The methods, responsibility, and criteria for identifying the site's vulnerability to food fraud, including susceptibility to raw material or ingredient substitution, finished product mislabeling, dilution, or counterfeiting, shall be documented, implemented, and maintained.
IFS Food Standard for assessing product and process compliance in relation to food safety and quality VERSION 7
Food fraud:
The intentional substitution, mislabelling, adulteration or counterfeiting of food, raw materials or packaging materials placed upon the market for economic gain. This definition also applies to outsourced processes.
IFS Food Section 4.20 Food fraud
4.20.2* A documented food fraud vulnerability assessment shall be undertaken on all raw materials, ingredients, packaging materials and outsourced processes, to determine the risks of fraudulent activity in relation to substitution, mislabelling, adulteration or counterfeiting. The criteria considered within the vulnerability assessment shall be defined.
FSSC 22000 SCHEME VERSION 5.1
Appendix 1 | Definitions Food Fraud
A collective term encompassing the deliberate and intentional substitution, addition, tampering or misrepresentation of food, food ingredients or food packaging, labelling, product information or false or misleading statements made about a product for economic gain that could impact consumer health (GFSI v7.2:2018).
Part 2 | Requirements for organizations to be audited 2.5 FSSC 22000 Additional Requirements 2.5.4 FOOD FRAUD MITIGATION
2.5.4.1 VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT
The organization shall have a documented procedure in place to:
a) Conduct a food fraud vulnerability assessment to identify and assess potential vulnerabilities;
b) Develop and implement mitigation measures for significant vulnerabilities.
2.5.4.2 PLAN
a) The organization shall have a documented food fraud mitigation plan specifying the mitigation measures covering the processes and products within the FSMS scope of the organization.
b) The food fraud mitigation plan shall be supported by the organization’s FSMS.
c) The plan shall comply with the applicable legislation and be kept up to date.
Kind regards,
Tony
Hi Tony,
Indeed GFSI's interest in Food Fraud appears due to a result of Spinks' ingenious (ie impossible to disprove) notion that any case of economic-driven food fraud within Categories listed by GFSI could also be hypothetically (if not explicitly) associated with a Food Safety Risk.
Regardless the associated Mitigation Plan in GFSI is directly Safety oriented. ie -
vulnerability2.png 61.98KB 4 downloads
Only SQF (clause 2.7.2.2) seems to have specifically addressed the safety aspect in and even then as a side-note.
A food fraud mitigation plan shall be developed and implemented that specifies the methods by which the identified food fraud vulnerabilities shall be controlled, including identified food safety vulnerabilities of ingredients and materials.
Hi Tony,
Indeed GFSI's interest in Food Fraud appears due to a result of Spinks' ingenious (ie impossible to disprove) notion that any case of economic-driven food fraud within Categories listed by GFSI could also be hypothetically (if not explicitly) associated with a Food Safety Risk.
Regardless the associated Mitigation Plan in GFSI is directly Safety oriented. ie -
Only SQF (clause 2.7.2.2) seems to have specifically addressed the safety aspect in and even then as a side-note.
Hi Charles,
Yep, I laughed at the could bit, probably written by a lawyer! :smile:
BRCGS Global Standard Food Safety Issue 9 covers the food safety aspect in 2.7.1 requirement to List all potential hazards:
The HACCP food safety team shall identify and record all the potential hazards that are reasonably expected to occur at each step in relation to product, process and facilities. This shall include hazards present in raw materials, those introduced during the process or surviving the process steps, and consideration of the following types of hazard:
• microbiological
• physical contamination
• chemical and radiological contamination
• fraud (e.g. substitution or deliberate/intentional adulteration) (see section 5.4)
• malicious contamination of products (see section 4.2)
• allergen risks (see section 5.3).
It shall also take account of the preceding and following steps in the process chain.
Kind regards,
Tony