The use of toxic testile dyes, such as the Sudan Red group, to adulterate food has been a high risk alert since the early 2000’s.  Over the past few years there have been persistent reported incidents with no apparent decline.  Original watch-outs were red spices and sauces, but more recently the focus has been on the adulteration of cheaper vegetable oils with red dye to pass them off as palm oil.  Palm oil from West Africa has been particularly implicated.

A recent media report from Ghana suggests that – far from improving – the problem is increasing in the case of palm oil on the local market.

Sudan Red dyes are classified as a Group 3 human carcinogen by the IARC and their widespread use in food is an obvious health concern for the local population.  For companies importing palm oil from countries where adulteration is endemic within the local market then traceability becomes key; being sure that your own stock comes from plantations and refineries with good and trusted oversight and has not been substituted for cheaper (adulterated) oil.  It is relatively easy to test for Sudan dyes, and periodic analysis is always a good way to check that assumptions about strong traceability are correct.

Photo by IKRAM ULLAH on Unsplash

This article (open access) is an early publication of a paper that has been through peer review but not yet through journal typographical editing.

During 2019-2021, a total of 78 samples of fish products from national and international brands were.collected from supermarkets, fishmongers, and other local retail stores in the Apulia region (Southern Italy).  They were tested using PCR and DNA barcoding.

The authors report that 5 of the 78 samples were fraudulently labelled.

They also discuss the role of DNA barcoding, challenges with processed fish products, and the pros and cons of different public databases (BOLD and BLAST).

Photo by Marko Markovic on Unsplash

This study (open access) tested 119 commercial products of insect flour, composite food and animal feed using two DNA-based methods, real-time PCR and metabarcoding, to check whether the insects claimed on the packaging were actually present.

The headline result is that 50% of the products contained insect species not listed on the label, or lacked the species that were declared. The detailed results are explained within the article and there are not always clear-cut interpretations (particularly for feed, where – for example -  it is not illegal to fail to declare all protein species within a pet food recipe).  However, some trends were clear.

• Many producers are unspecific about species identification, using general terms such as “cricket” which do not differentiate between legal and non-legal species
• Cross-contamination between different insect species is endemic
• Regulatory test methods (PCR) are not fit to tell whether the banned practice of rearing insects on substrate containing meat/bone has been used (because the method will also detect, for example, permitted animal-derived substrates such as egg shell)

The authors conclude that traceability and cross-contamination control needs to be improved in this nascent industry, before insects become mainstream, to avoid loss of public trust.

This paper (open access) reports the results of an authenticity testing survey of insect-containing food and feed products, purchased both within and outside the EU.

119 commercial products were tested for the declared insect species, using two DNA-based methods, real-time PCR and metabarcoding,. All samples (test portions of 100 mg) were extracted following the method recommended by the European Union Reference Laboratory for Animal Proteins in Feedingstuffs

The authors report that 50% of the products contained insect species not listed on the label, or lacked the species that were declared. In particular, cross-contamination was observed when manufacturers worked with more than one type of insect.  Some products contained insects that are not currently allowed for use in the European Union. Some insect meals also contained traces of animal DNA, which may come from the substrates the insects were raised on. The authors point out that this could cause legal problems if these meals are used in certain types of animal feed.

The authors conclude that their study highlights the need for better quality control in the insect production chain. It also shows that DNA tests are useful tools for authenticating the declared insect species in food and feed products.

Photo by Yeyo Salas on Unsplash

This paper (open access) reports the outcome of a study in which 104 cinnamon samples purchased at retailers in EU countries, have been investigated. The study showed that a high share of samples, 66.3%, either did not fulfil quality criteria set by international standards, were not compliant with European food safety legislation, were suspicious of fraud, or could be toxic for children due to a high content of coumarin. 

Substitution of Ceylon by Cassia cinnamon, so far the most recognised type of fraud, was not the problem most frequently detected in this study.  Many samples were classified as either strongly suspicious or suspicious, based upon being statistical outliers, but further investigation would be needed to confirm if adulterated. 

The authors report that the use of multiple analytical techniques, namely Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence, Head Space-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, q-PCR, and Termogravimetric Analyses, was needed to cover the full range of irregularities detected in the study. 

Photo by Angelo Pantazis on Unsplash

Shrimp surimi-based products (SSPs) are composed of minced shrimp meat and are highly susceptible to fraudulent substitution by cheaper fish surimi.

This study (open access) employed a double-gene metabarcoding approach to authenticate SSPs sold in bulk (business-to-business) on Chinese e-commerce platforms. 16S rRNA and 12S rRNA genes were amplified and sequenced from 24 SSPs. Mislabeling was evaluated based on the correspondence between the ingredients (only those of animal origin) reported on the products’ labels and the molecular results.

The authors found that 21 of the 24 products were mislabeled. The replacement of Penaeus vannamei with other shrimp species was particularly noteworthy. In some samples the primary species detected in terms of sequence abundance were not shrimp but fish, pork, chicken, and cephalopods. The 12S rRNA sequencing results revealed that fish species like Gadus chalcogrammus, Evynnis tumifrons, and Priacanthus arenatus were added to some SSPs in significant proportions, with certain products relying on fish priced from “Low” to “High” levels to substitute higher-cost shrimp. Notably, many fish species in SSPs were highly vulnerable to fishing, raising sustainability concerns.

The authors conclude that the high mislabeling rate, as well as the detection of endangered fish species (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus), underscores significant quality control and supply chain integrity issues.

Photo by Fernando Andrade on Unsplash

FSA-funded project: Review of current and emerging analytical methods for the testing of oil for authenticity (Project FS900520)

With funding from the UK Food Standards Agency, Fera Science Limited (Fera) in York, UK is currently undertaking a project to review the current and emerging analytical methods for testing edible oils and support the further development of analytical methods which will underpin and uphold the authenticity of edible oils in the supply chain. 

As part of the project’s evidence gathering, Fera would like to invite parties involved in sourcing, processing, and/or testing edible oils to participate in an online questionnaire. 

The fundamental mission of the FSA is food you can trust. The FSA strategy sets out FSA’s vision to ensure that the UK food system is safe, and that food is what it says it is. This involves building scientific capability in Public Analyst (PA) Official Laboratories (OLs) and working with Defra’s food authenticity programme to conduct research and development for analytical methods. Suitable analytical methods are required to ensure that food is what it says it is and to manage risk around food authenticity.

 As key stakeholders, your insight will help to inform FSA regarding issues in oil authenticity and future-proofed analytical tools to support both industry and regulators, while maintaining consumer confidence in our food. 

 Your participation will be very much appreciated and your views and insight will be invaluable to the project aims.

 A summary of key findings from the questionnaire will be included in the final report, but no sensitive information will be published.

Please complete the questionnaire here. If you have any questions, please contact info@fera.co.uk.

Your kind participation will be very much appreciated and your views and insight will be invaluable to the project aims.

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Halloumi produced in Cyprus has a transitional exception until 2029 from the EU PDO regulations which stipulate that >50% of the milk content must be from sheep or goats.  This is because of the relatively low sheep/goat milk production on the island.  However, national Cypriot law still stipulates that the sheep/goat milk content must be >19% during this transition.  Major dairy companies on Cyprus have lobbied against this transitional law, arguing that it is unachievable without large scale import of sheep/goat milk powder.

It has been reported that a 2024 survey of one of the largest halloumi brands on sale in Cyprus found sheep/goat milk content at only 5%.  The same newspaper also reports that the regulators are working with Bureau Veritas on building a reference database of compositional parameters, to address longstanding analytical challenges in verifying the sheep/goat milk content of imported milk powder.

Photo by Ambitious Studio* | Rick Barrett on Unsplash

This study (open access) investigated species substitution, mislabeling, and the sustainability of seafood products in the seafood markets of South China. 478 samples were purchased from retail markets in 11 cities across three provinces (Guangxi, Guangdong, and Hainan) between May 2021 and December 2023. Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene amplification was used to identify 156 fish species across 105 genera and 60 families. The researchers have published the correlation between genetic and taxonomical details.

The researchers used a combination of morphological and DNA barcoding methods to produce an atlas guide for these 156 economically important fish species.

Molecular identification revealed that 9.6 % (15/156) of fish species were mislabelled, with commercial fraud detected in three processed species: Hilsa kelee, Chelidonichthys kumu, and Argyrosomus japonicus. Some substitutions may have been unintentional.  3.8 % (6/156) of species identified were classified as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The study also uncovered an example of illicit cross-border sales of fish products.

The authors conclude that their findings provide a technical reference for effective fish species identification and offer valuable insights into seafood market monitoring.

Photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) have published a survey of 1025 samples purchased at retail in the 2^nd half of 2023.  Samples were targeted on a risk-basis, and the survey included authenticity testing of some samples.

The survey found:  

• There was a considerable increase in compliance for olive oil year on year 75% in 2022/23 to 87% (26 out of 30) 2023/24
• Food authenticity rates for samples tested were 97% compliant for the areas of authenticity tested
• There are no overall geographical hotspots for non-compliance 

From the small number of samples tested, two potentially widespread authenticity issues were flagged which will be used to inform future enforcement priorities.

• 40% (16 out of 40) of frozen raw chicken was non-compliant due to undeclared, or excess, added water and labelling issues
• 42% (10 out of 24) of frozen beef burgers were non-compliant, with eight samples having less meat content than declared, and 4 samples containing higher fat levels than stated.

This paper (open access) reports a survey of 62 retail samples of processed whitefish products from British, Italian and Albanian retailers (mainly high-street supermarkets).  24 samples, spanning all regions, were reported as mislabelled using the criteria below.

The researchers used Next Generation Sequencing following DNA extraction using commercial kits.  Full details of the primers are given in the paper.  They prepared in-house positive and negative controls by blending various proportions of white fish species (from whole, identifiable, fillets) that are not used in commercial fish product manufacturing into mixtures of “authentic” species.

Since commercial designations of seafood species vary greatly both across and within countries, the researchers compared the ingredients provided for each product to the official list of commercial designation of the country where the product was purchased.. If a common name was declared on the label, the relevant species name was obtained searching FishBase , while if a scientific name was provided, it was contrasted directly with the molecular results.

Using matches and mismatches between label information and DNA-based identification, the researchers classified the examined products into the following categories: (i) “green” (correctly labelled product): when the proportion of reads of the declared species was at least twice as large as the second most abundant species and constitutes the majority of the bulk; (ii) “amber” (misleading product): when the proportion of the declared species was higher than any other species, but not necessarily amounting to the majority of the bulk; (iii) “red” (mislabelled product): when the declared species was either absent or not the most abundant in the mix; (iv) “grey” (undetermined product): when the declared species couldn’t be genetically identified with certainty.

CALL FOR PARTICIPATION in the Food Fraud Prevention THINK TANK's latest “Food Fraud 20 Questions” survey on Food Document Fraud – Concerns and Countermeasures.

This is an update of their 2016 survey on the topic and is a 5-10 minute online, confidential, anonymous survey. Please participate or forward it to others as you see fit.

Your involvement will contribute to research and reports that help you reduce your “fraud opportunity.”

SURVEY LINK: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FoodDocument

The food industry accepts a wide range of documents to confirm the identity and source of products bought and sold. The research project based on this survey begins with an analysis of:

• The documents used in food product transactions
• The documents that are known or suspected to be fraudulent
• Best practices or countermeasures

This “Food Fraud 20 Questions” survey will provide more insight into this emerging and timely subject. Once the project is completed, the free Food Fraud Insight Report (link below) will be updated.

Additional Resources:

• Food Fraud Insight Report: Link to our “Understanding the Risk of Document Fraud in the Food Supply Chain: Preliminary Findings from the Food Document Fraud Survey” by Roy Fenoff, PhD & John W. Spink, PhD: https://www.foodfraudpreventionthinktank.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/FFIR-Backgrounder-fenoff-spink-document-fraud.pdf
• Webinar Session: Food Fraud Trends Update: Essentials for Avoiding Food Document Fraud, hosted by the Repositrak, OnTrak Webinar series, June 16, 2021, URL (75 minutes): https://repositrak.com/webinar-archive/ontrak-webinar-food-fraud-trends-update-essentials-for-avoiding-food-document-fraud/

For further information visit the Food Fraud Prevention THINK TANK website.

The International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) (https://www.foodprotection.org/) is one of the three largest food-related professional associations, with more than 4,500 individual food safety professionals focusing on “advancing food safety worldwide.” IAFP started in 1911 as the International Association of Dairy and Milk Inspectors. Their focus expanded to food sanitarians and the current, broader food protection focus. For those of you not familiar with the food industry, “The term public health sanitarian shall mean a person who applies the principles of the natural and social sciences for the detection, evaluation, control and management of those factors in the environment which influence the public’s health.” (reference)

IAFP also is the publisher of several scholarly journals, including the Journal of Food Protection and Food Protection Trends. “The Journal of Food Protection is the leading publication in the field of food microbiology and remains the premier journal dedicated to food safety.”

The IAFP Food Fraud Professional Development Group has published an “interest survey” to be completed by IAFP and PDG members, plus the public at large. We are reviewing our direction for 2021 and beyond. This survey is your opportunity to be heard and to help lead the direction of food fraud prevention.

The survey takes only a few minutes to complete. 

Link to the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FfPdg2021JulyIntroduction

QR code to the survey:

The modern food industry is fast moving with complex supply chains that utilises a wide variety of analytical tools to support food integrity and authenticity. Devices that allow diagnostic tests to be performed at or near the point of need, often termed Point-of-contact (POC), represent a growing area within the food sector with the potential to provide real-time monitoring of input materials and the production process. POC devices can range from handheld spectroscopic devices such as Raman and FT-IR instruments to desktop portable systems such as compact mass spectrometry and NMR systems.

A questionnaire looking at POC testing in the food sector has been devised by LGC as part of a Defra funded project (FA0178: Point of Contact Testing) tasked with investigating the application of POC technology to food authenticity testing. The questionnaire is targeted at individuals involved in the food and associated diagnostics sectors, including primary production, supply and manufacturing.

The project team would greatly appreciate your participation in this questionnaire, which will directly help inform the direction of the project and contribute to guidance within the sector.

POC Questionnaire: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/J8L8N3X

We thank you in advance for your assistance and kindly request that the survey is completed by Friday 31st July 2020.

Kind regards

Food Authenticity Network Executive Management Team

As food is now sourced globally, it is important that the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has a good understanding of the global drivers of food fraud (root causes of why food fraud incidents occur) that impact the UK and which of the available tools can help it best protect the UK food supply from these influences.

 A Defra funded project is in progress to address these needs. A literature review and expert workshop, held in January 2020, identified food fraud drivers and food fraud mitigation tools.

The aim of this survey is to get your views on the outputs of the literature review and expert workshop so that the most commonly used tools can be selected for evaluation in phase 2 of the Defra project.

The survey will take 10 minutes or less to complete:

Complete Survey

We thank you in advance for your assistance and kindly request that the survey is completed by Friday 19 June 2020.

The Food Authenticity Network Team

The herbal products, sold worldwide as medicines or foods, are perceived as low risk because they are considered natural and thus safe. The quality of these products is ineffectively regulated and controlled. The growing evidence for their lack of authenticity is causing deep concern, but the scale of this phenomenon at the global, continental or national scale remains unknown.

Reserachers analysed data reporting the authenticity, as detected with DNA-based methods, of 5,957 commercial herbal products sold in 37 countries, distributed in all six inhabited continents. The global survey shows that a substantial proportion (27%) of the herbal products commercialized in the global marketplace is adulterated when their content was tested against their labeled, claimed ingredient species. The adulterated herbal products are distributed across all continents and regions. The proportion of adulterated products varies significantly among continents, being highest in Australia (79%), South America (67%), lower in Europe (47%), North America (33%), Africa (27%) and the lowest in Asia (23%).

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