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Wines can be mimicked by the detailed addition of glycerol, sugars, colours, water and other additives.  Sometimes this is carefully balanced so that the fraud is difficult to detect by analysis of one parameter alone.

In this paper (open access conference presentation from researchers in Crimea) the authors propose a specification for “authentic” wines based upon 11 analytical indicators. 

This is based on in-house research where they prepared 3500 counterfeit wines adulterated in different ways, and studied the feedback effect of changing one analytical parameter upon another.  All parameters were measured using established and published test methods that are considered accessible to industrial laboratories.  They observed that every type of adulteration had an indirect effect on another analytical parameter, so if sufficient parameters were measured it was very difficult for fraudsters to mask their activity.  Specification ranges were established by training sets prepared from their in-house adulterated and unadulterated wines.

Table reproduced from the publication, Creative Commons licence

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is warning members of the public not to buy or eat counterfeit ‘Wonka Bars’, which are being sold in shops and online across the country.

The counterfeit bars may be unsafe to eat, as there is a possibility that they are being produced or repackaged by unregistered businesses and by individuals who could be contravening food hygiene, labelling and traceability laws.

Some counterfeit Wonka Bars removed from sale have been found to contain allergens which weren’t listed on the label, posing a major health risk to anyone who suffers from a food allergy or intolerance.

The FSA’s warning comes after a sharp increase in reports of the counterfeit chocolate bars on sale over the past year.

Tina Potter, Head of Incidents at the Food Standards Agency, said: 

“With Easter less than a month away, it is more important than ever that parents and grandparents are aware of the risks that these bogus chocolate bars could pose to their children, particularly those living with a food allergy or intolerance.

“There is no way of knowing what ingredients are in these bars or what food hygiene practices are being followed by the people making or repackaging them.

“If you have bought these knock-off bars, do not eat them or give them to friends and family.”

Any Wonka-branded chocolate which does not feature the official ‘Ferrero’ or ‘Ferrara Candy Company’ trademarks on the label is likely to be a counterfeit product and there is no way to know if it is safe to eat.

The Food Standards Agency is continuing to investigate further reports with support from local authority partners.

Letters have been sent to local authorities responsible for investigating and enforcing food law to advise them to remove any fake products from sale where there is a known or suspected public health risk.

Any members of the public who have bought or spot counterfeit Wonka Bars on shelves or online are advised to raise the issue with the retailer and report the matter to their Local Authority so that action can be taken.

FSA alert

Thanks very much to one of our new Centres of Expertise GfL for bringing to our attention this German investigative TV show Frontal 21 addressing the very important topic of the use of illegal pesticides.

This is another example of where an authenticity issue can have a very direct effect on food safety. The consequences for nature and humans are incalculable. Nobody knows what these pesticides are made of, which and how much toxins they contain.

The State of Counterfeiting in India 2020 report, performed by the Authentication Solution Provider's Association (ASPA), determined that counterfeit incidents rose by nearly a quarter between 2018 and 2019, with a 21% rise specifically in the food & beverage sector.

The rise in food fraud could negatively impact India's new "Make In India" campaign, which was launched in 2014 and aimed at making India a global hub of manufacturing by encouraging companies to manufacture their products in the companyThe report emphasises the importance of ensuring products are genuine and safe to consumer trust.

Read more about the report and it's details here on Food Navigator Asia.

Officers in China have siezed more than two tonnes of lemons for trademark violations. The lemons had counterfeit labelling which claimed the fruits were produced by fruit brand Utifrutti. Their shipping containers also bore the company's logo.

This marks the second seizure of counterfeit lemons claiming to be Unifrutti products since April.

Read the full story on Securing Industry here.

•  Step 1: Check that the certificate has been issued by a certification body that is accredited by an internationally                                      recognised accreditation body. 
• Step 2: Check the claims by the certification body that they hold the appropriate accreditation from the accreditation body. 
• Step 3: Validation of certificate.

Prosecco, a product with protected designation of origin, is produced in only nine areas near the Italian cities of Venice and Trieste. Last month, FSA investigators siezed a shipment of thousands of bottles which were labelled as 'Prosecco', but were actually sparkling wine produced in Moldova. 

Read more about the story here.