It is 10 years since the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) launched an interdisciplinary approach to detect food fraud and to understand and reduce the root causes. This review article by Prof John Spink (purchase required) reflects on its evolution and impact. He concludes that GFSI achieved momentum by establishing a food industry-wide definition and scope of the problem. Focusing on all types of fraud and for all products – not just incoming goods and adulterant-substances – created a holistic approach. Prof Spink describes this evolution in terms of the “hype cycle”, and concludes that food fraud prevention is is now in the ‘Scope of Enlightenment’ (e.g., processes and systems are simplified and optimized) and moving to the ‘Plateau of Productivity’ (e.g., standard operating procedures are adopted). GFSI, itself, is maturing and evolving through the ‘hype cycle.’ He predicts that the next ten years will include a more rigorous and thorough adoption of management systems with a continuous improvement process.
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