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This article (purchase required) uses data mining of nearly 72,000 official food inspections from China from 2018 – 2023.  It tests the hypothesis that data manipulation by local food inspection agencies has led to an overall underestimate of food fraud and food safety incidents in China.

The authors examined the distribution of non-compliant samples near the qualified standard value using exceedance multiples. To quantify the extent of data manipulation, they used an exhaustive algorithm to construct counterfactual estimates.

They report an abnormal distribution of unqualified samples near standard value, indicating potential data manipulation. Robustness tests supported this inference.

They conclude that over 11% of unqualified (failed) samples may have been adjusted to qualified status during 2018–2023, with higher manipulation rates in eastern regions than in central and western regions. The manipulation rate of unqualified samples across 25 sample provinces ranged from 8.13% to 16.30%.

The National Food Crime Unit has today launched Food Crime Confidential. This is a reporting facility where anyone with suspicions about food crime can report them safely and in confidence, over the phone or through email. The facility is particularly targeted at those working in or around the UK food industry.

The FSA’s National Food Crime Unit (NFCU) works with partners to protect people from serious criminal activity that impacts the safety or authenticity of food and drink they consume.

Food crime involves dishonesty at any stage in the production or supply of food. It is often complex and likely to be seriously detrimental to consumers, businesses or the general public interest.

NFCU would like to receive any information relating to suspected dishonesty involving food, drink or animal feed. In addition to identifying and being able to tackle specific instances of food crime, such information will help us learn more about the circumstances that make offending possible.

For further information on this service.