Analytical toolbox for food fraud journal

by James Donarski, Katharina Heinrich & Rosario Romero

The authentication of food to ensure that it has not been subject to fraud is a significant and challenging task. A generally accepted concept is that food fraud occurs when a perpetrator deliberately passes off a foodstuff that does not meet either implicit or explicit claims. It therefore covers a huge variety of acts including, but not limited to, undeclared addition of water, exceeding fishing quotas, redirection of stolen products and substitution of key ingredients. When using an analytical approach to verify the authenticity of a product, it is important to identify a strategy, which enables differentiation between fraudulent and authentic samples.

This article from our scientists give an overview of the considerations that need to be addressed when choosing the most appropriate method to verify product authenticity.